Son of The First Robin
by RadosianStar
Summary: With Bruce Wayne gone, the cowl is passed on to Dick Grayson. He becomes Batman for the sake of his family, but what happens when his family starts to get a little bigger in the most terrifying way?
1. Birth of a New Bird

**A/N: I got this idea from reading Rebirth Detective Comics where they mention how Dick Grayson left the Batman mantle because he had a family and "Justice League: Generation Lost" #14 where they bring up an image of someone named Thomas Grayson takes on the Red Hood persona. I couldn't really find any comics that provided information about Dick Grayson's future, so I thought I'd write about what I think would happen to him from whatever I could cull from the comics.**

 **I am leaving the mother nameless for two reasons:**

 **In "Justice League: Generation Lost" we never see Thomas Grayson's face, so we don't know if he could part alien.**

 **Dick has had quite a few girlfriends in the main DC timeline, and I've only seen one who thought that she was pregnant.**

 **Otherwise I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to review.**

* * *

As I outgrew my Boy Wonder days, there were times where I considered hanging up the mask and raising a family of my own, but I never thought I could because I could never stand still enough to settle down. First when I started the Titans, then when I was leading the Outsiders, then I became Blüdhaven's defender and now here I am, back in Gotham, as the new Batman. Even if Bruce Wayne was gone, Batman still had to live… I was always expected to wear the cowl when this day came, even so I prayed that it never would. Bruce and I couldn't have been more different if we tried, our stories may have started with the loss of our parents, but unlike him, my tragedy is not all that I am. Bruce always embraced the darkest parts of life almost to the point where nothing else mattered, leaving little time for friends or even family. I should know, the guy raised me and I still remember how he always ended picking his crusade for justice over the little boy who had become the closest thing he had to a son at the time. Even if I had to become Batman, I never wanted to end up like Bruce, all alone, isolating myself from the people I care about, the people who were, in a sense, family, so when I get a call from my girlfriend saying that her pregnancy test came back positive, I am left uncertain of what my family will become…

* * *

The baby wasn't due for another few months, which gives me and "the family" something to talk about during one of our team meetings. Of all the people I expected to show up, Jason was the only one who didn't, apparently the Red Hood was in some foreign country fighting off an oppressive and corrupt government. I suppose it was just as well, he may not want to kill me anymore, but we still aren't quite that close. I wasn't sure what to expect from them when I told them about the baby, whatever I thought was going to happen quickly subsided as they seem to think that my kid's future all mapped out.

"So a new Robin will join the fold," said Damian, the current Robin, in his usual venomous tone. "Perhaps your progeny would be more suited to becoming a brightly colored target given that his lineage of fools."

"No one's joining anything," I tell him a-matter-of-factly, "the kid's not even born yet."

"Still," thought Red Robin, "not a bad idea, we could use the extra help since losing the Belfry."

I give out a long exasperated sigh, "Not you too Tim."

Tim Drake took on the Robin mantle sometime after Jason's "death", unlike the rest of us he wasn't driven to take on the name through for personal reasons just a strong sense of right and wrong. I admire that about him, but sometimes I wonder if he's aware that not everyone in the family thinks the way he does. When I first met him, he tried to convince me to go back to being Robin. Honestly, after all the time I spent as Nightwing, did he really expect me to make the transition that easily? I wasn't that same kid who wore the yellow, red and green all those years ago. How could I be? Bruce was the one who decided to push me away, who drove me to become what I am, and nothing has ever been the same between us since then. I know Tim meant well, but there comes a time when you have to accept that nothing can go back to the way it was.

Tim probably had a harder time learning that lesson than anyone. His girlfriend left him because he couldn't let go of the mask and cape for a moment, not even for her. Her dad was a supervillain named Cluemaster who spent his entire career antagonizing Batman, instead of raising his own daughter. At some point, I think she started to believe that playing superhero made her no better than him, she wanted out, Tim didn't. As someone who's dealt with break-ups before because of the mask, I felt for Tim, but in these situations there are only two things you can do: work through the problem with your partner, or learn to let go and move on. Tim was always a bright kid, between all the Robins he was probably the smartest, it was no wonder he was offered a spot in Ivy University's genius program, and yet he gave it all up for the Batman legacy, to save the Belfry, a team that had fallen apart because people were afraid of what Batman had become… of what he could become. I don't think Bruce would have been too happy about what Tim was giving up to keep Batman alive. He was so gifted, he could have done what the rest of us had done and become a hero in his own right even without a mask, instead he chose to become another Robin in Batman's war on crime. Still Tim knew the risks when he signed on, he knows that Batman's path was paved with hardships, he could have left anytime he wanted, and yet he chose to stay. This has always worried me, Tim could have had a great life if he wanted to, but he didn't want to turn away from Batman, he's choosing to live in a dark corner when the whole world awaits him. I hope Tim will be okay because when he and Damian are on the same page you know there's a problem.

"It's just a thought," Tim replied with a coldness that was unlike him, "if you don't want the kid to be a part of this, there's always adoption."

Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to do after the baby's born. The mother also wants to wait until delivery before discussing the future. Future… A word I rarely like to use, I've always tried to stay in the moment, never looking back or forward. To me there was only the now, but things have changed; now I'm going to have to look in another direction to make sure that my kid has a good life. From the beginning, I knew I could never wear a mask and raise a child; still I wanted to make a life for myself. And with the baby coming closer, I'm going to have to make a tough choice: to live a life for myself, for Gotham, or for my unborn child…

* * *

I pace back and forth in the hospital hallway, I can't believe how fast things are moving. One minute I'm out kicking bad guy butt as Batman, the next I get a call from the hospital saying that my girlfriend has gone into early labor…too early... I was often told that my inability to stay in one place comes from the fact that, before Bruce, I grew up among travelers, wanderers who only settled down for a moment until the time came to move on, now I can't hold still because I'm not sure if I'm going to be Batman or a father.

Tim and Damian are in the waiting room with me, Jason is still a no-show.

"Calm yourself Grayson," Damian says with his characteristically icy voice, "If the child is as foolishly dauntless as the father, the birth will be relatively fast and painless."

I run my fingers frantically through my hair. "Easy for you to say you're not the father."

Sometimes I forget that Damian never had a normal childhood, cultivated in an artificial womb, spent most of his life raised by assassins, and then having to live with the cold, distant Bat. Considering my own experience, Bruce did a pretty good job with Damian, though I still worry about the kid not because of his bloodline but because of his unwavering devotion to his father. When I lived with Bruce, I learned that he wasn't always as great as he made others believe as good, as he was the one thing he was never able to do is let go of his pain. Damian practically worshipped the ground he walked on, sanctifying his pain and suffering as some great sacrifice. Between every other member of our family, Damian is the only Robin who's actually Batman's son, but he wasn't born from the same struggles that made the rest of us. He was groomed to be the next leader to the League of Assassins, and although he escaped that fate when he came to live with us there are times where I still see him trying to repress the murderous instinct ingrained in him since birth. I guess his arrogance is his way of showing that he has the most to live up to. Still there are times that I wish the kid would stop bragging about how high and mighty he is long enough to realize that some situations require a lot more tact than he offers.

"I'm sure everything will be fine Dick," Tim assured me, "And if the kid does turn out anything like you, we'll have a great addition to team."

"Right now, all I care about is that the kid lives."

Before we can say more a nurse came towards us and said, "Well Mr. Grayson, the baby will have to spend a few months in an incubator, but otherwise it is a relatively healthy boy. The mother is in recovery right now, and we just sent the child to the NICU."

"Can I see either of them?" I asked, nervously.

"Right now I don't think it's best to wake your girlfriend, however I can take you to see your son, but only you," the nurse replied.

I looked to Tim and Damian, they're good kids, but when I leave them together one of them is going to end up breaking the other's bones. Good thing we're in a hospital.

Tim seemed to read my mind as he told me, "Don't worry about us Dick. Damian and I can go a few hours without trying to kill each other."

Damian scoffed at the remark. "*T-t*. Shows how much you know Drake, I can kill before you even lay a finger on me. After all, I am the better..."

I'm still not sure I should have left the two alone still they both know enough to maintain discretion.

As I walk towards NICU, the nurse starts explaining a whole set of rules and regulations I need to remember before entering the room. Premature babies are pretty delicate and require special care even after their time in the incubator. Their sensitive nature always calls for constant attention, even as they grow up there are some things never leave. While the nurse continues to list the NICU's requirements, I start to wonder about this kid's future. Would he turn out like his father? Like his mother? Or would he be the complete opposite of what I expect? Would he be strong enough to live the life he deserves?

After having my hands washed and disinfected, I was finally allowed to enter the nursery. And there he was, my son, lying in a mechanical crib with wires and tubes sticking into him. He's barely bigger than the palm of my hand and each of his movements look like he's in a heated battle with no current winner. I gingerly tap the tiny palms of his hands, and he starts to squeeze my finger. His hand is barely bigger than my little finger, but he grips onto me like a trapeze artist to the bar. He's only a few hours old and I can already find so many similarities between us: he had slick raven hair standing up with anticipation, the face of a starry-eyed adventurer, and little hints of robin's egg blue in his eyes. I even recognized that look in his eyes, a fearless look, the look of a fighter. But what would he be fighting for? Justice? Vengeance? Life? Would he even want to fight the same battles I did? And would he do it for the right reasons? As these thoughts raced through my mind, I realized it all boiled down to one question: was I going to be a hero or a father…

* * *

 **A/N: So this is what I have so far. This is my first Batman fanfic, so I'm not sure my how accurate my characterization is, but I was certainly curious about why Dick Grayson would suddenly leave one family for another. He's not the type who would just leave you high and dry and future Tim told his past self in Detective Comics that he had no one else to help him.**

 **There are more chapters to come. Let me know what you think and feel free to give me some suggestions for this or a future story.**


	2. I believe

**A/N: I hoped you all enjoyed my first chapter. Forgive me if I seem off base this is my first comic fanfiction. As always, feel free to review to your heart's content and offer suggestions if you have any.**

* * *

After a long day of kicking bad guy butt, Damian and I went to hospital to visit my son. The smell of antiseptic and medicine lingering through the air was enough to make a person sick to the stomach or cure them of all illness. The incubator, my son's lifeline, monitoring and maintaining him with its wires, tubes, and artificial light, after a little while he didn't need quite so many monitors, but it was a wonder that he had any skin left under all that wiring. He looked so innocent in that tiny body, as if one wrong move could shatter his bones. Still, he seemed to have a lot of energy, when he moved around in his artificial nest, he looked like he was in a rush to be discharged. This kid is always on the move, gets that from me I suppose.

"It almost reminds me of my old incubation chamber without the amniotic fluid," said Damian.

I rolled my eyes back, it's almost impossible to tell whether or not Damian's joking. "What a charming childhood you've had."

Damian leaned in closer to the incubator's walls and took a closer look at the squirming little baby. "He's awfully small and fragile; do you think he'll be strong enough to survive?" He asked me.

"Strength isn't always measured in size, I mean look at you."

"Shut up Grayson," sneered Damian.

Damian wasn't kidding though, he was pretty small. When I first saw him, his skin was bright red, and his arms and legs looked a thin and gangly, not to mention he was so thin you could almost see his bones. He'd gotten a little bigger, after a little time in NICU, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was going to be okay, if he would be able to live a good life, and if there was anything I could do for him.

Suddenly Damian asked, "Where's Drake?"

"Solo patrol," I answered, "even when Batman's not on duty someone's got to watch over Gotham."

"What about Batwing or Batwoman, or Orphan?"

"After losing the Belfry, Tim hasn't really spoken with any them, he's still having trouble adjusting to what happened. Especially with Kate…and Stephanie."

"*Tt*. Typical Drake, always obsessing over such futile matters, it's been over ten years and he still hasn't let go of what happened. He's such a child."

"Things have been hard on all of us, especially after Bruce..."

Damian held his head up high and looked me in the eye with his usual bravado, but I could tell he was trying to keep a brave face. "Of course I'm upset about what happened to my father, he was a great man, however he was always aware of the risks... He should have known that his moral code would betray him one day..." I can almost hear his voice breaking, but he quickly composed himself. "Nevertheless, he fought and died honorably, I can only hope that I will be a worthy successor."

A single, solemn tear fell from a solitary corner of his eye. Every Robin before him saw Bruce as a father figure, but Damian was different. To him Batman wasn't a figurehead that helped eased the loss of a father, he _was_ his father. Now all that was left was his example…and me. Before he was Bruce's Robin, he was mine, I took him on after I had to take over for his dad, although we weren't always a dynamic duo. Somehow being Batman's only biological son made him think that a ten year old was much better suited for the job. Still, we eventually learned to trust each other, and I guess he had enough trust in me to leave the cowl in my hands, even if he still likes to insist that he will always be Batman's "true heir". Damian may not be a kid anymore but he still needs some serious lessons in humility, if he planned on keeping his friends.

"Anyway," He went on, frantically wiping his eyes, "what of the mother?"

"She's doing okay. She's been talking about adoption; this was all just as sudden to her as it was to me. She doesn't think she can handle the responsibility of caring for a child after going into labor so early."

"Well, at least she's intelligent enough to recognize her inadequacies, unlike my own mother."

With everything that was going on, I hadn't mentioned to anyone that the mother and I were no longer together, that before she even announced her pregnancy our relationship had taken a turn for the worst. We don't hate each other, but the last time we talked was just to discuss the baby's situation. This wasn't my first break-up, but it's definitely the most complicated relationship I've ever been in.

Before I could say anything else, the baby started to cry, the nurses asked me if I wanted to hold him, thinking it would calm him down, I told them I could try, so they gently scooped him out of the warmth of the artificial light and carefully placed him into the warmth of my hands. He nestled himself into my arms, as I held him closer, he kept tugging at my shirt like he was trying to pull me closer. I try not to hold him too tightly, since he's still at an pretty early stage in his treatment, but the way he kept tugging at my shirt made me feel like he was challenging me to hold him tighter. He was still so small, I felt like I could break him if I wasn't careful, but I knew a tough kid when I see one, I grew up with three.

I hummed a few bars of "The Man on the Flying Trapeze" and gently rocked him in my arms, he seemed to calm down a bit. His crying was slowly replaced with the relaxed sound of cooing and laughter. God he had a beautiful smile, reminded me of mom.

"'He floats through the air with the greatest of ease. The young man of the Flying Trapeze'," I sang quietly as I rocked him.

"You seem quite proficient at handling children," Damian remarked.

"Growing up in a travelling circus, if you were old enough to be part of the show, you were old enough to babysit, and there were plenty of kids to take care of."

Damian stood quietly for a minute, then simply asked me, "Do you miss that life?"

"It's not that different from my old life. The show's different, but the atmosphere is pretty much the same. Swinging in the air, no net, surrounded by family… Why do you ask?"

"You always said, 'You can take the boy out of the circus, but you can't take the circus out of the boy'. I was just curious to see if you were pinning about the life you left behind."

"I was never happy about what happened to my parents, but I've made my peace with it."

"Good to know."

Looking back, it was so strange of Damian to ask me something so personal. He had a way of taking a person's past, using to peel back their layers to reveal the truth. I would've asked him more about it, but the baby started crying again. I looked down at the little guy, he was wriggling like he was incredibly impatient. Mom used to tell me that ever since I was born, I would move about the same way, never staying still for one moment, at least I know where he gets it from.

"You are going to be a heck of handful when you get older," I tell him, pressing my forehead against his, "my only wish for you is that you live a life for you, no matter what anyone says. No matter what you grow up to be, I know you will become a true wonder."

My eyes are locked on to his, he stops crying. For that brief moment of silence, gazing into his cool blue eyes, I wonder if he will be well cared for. Because this was going to be a closed adoption, I may never be able to meet his adoptive parents, never knowing what he'll become. Growing up with the most emotionally detached human being in the world was only ever fun when I was Robin. It was a way for me to deal with the loss of my parents, but sometimes it felt like a game, figuring out clues was like reading a book of brain teasers or putting together a jigsaw puzzle, and the rooftop flying was no different from swinging on a trapeze. Being Robin helped me deal with a lot of stuff and I couldn't have asked for a better mentor…or a better father than Bruce, but to Batman Gotham was the only thing that really mattered. Sometimes I would wonder if I could ever keep up with him, other times I wondered if Bruce Wayne took me in because he cared about me or if Batman kept me because he needed help…or an heir. Part of the reason I became Nightwing was because Gotham was everything to Bruce, and I…honestly, I'm not sure what I meant to him. I don't want my kid thinking that he's second fiddle to my work, I want him to grow up safe and happy, no violence, no vendettas and no inattentive parental figures.

With the life I lead, I doubt I could give him any of that, but I'm worried, worried that he'll look up to heroes like Superman, Batman…or Nightwing and place himself in danger because he wants to be just like them, or that he'll despise heroes like us and dedicate the rest of his life destroying us, never knowing that his biological father is one of them. I want to be able to tell him, when he's old enough to understand, that heroes are great to look up to: they're strong, they're smart and they could probably move mountains if they put their minds to it. But they're are not perfect: they can make mistakes, and even though they're sorry, some people will never forgive their faults. I want to tell him that idols can let you down even when they never mean to, that, when they fail to catch you, all they can think about is that they let you fall.

Ever since I first put on the mask, I've always tried to find a balance in life between being the hero and being Dick Grayson. Flying Grayson, Robin, Nightwing, Agent 37, they're all a part of who I am, but they are not _all_ that I am. And yet, of all the things that I've been or could be a "father" did not rank very high on the list. I got tired of living in Bruce's shadow, but becoming Nightwing was never about my legacy, it was about proving that I was more than a Robin, more than Batman's sidekick. To me it wasn't about creating new legacies, it was about getting the chance to be myself without feeling overshadowed. But even though I was no longer Robin, Nightwing was still remembered as Batman's first sidekick, maybe people will never forget about that, but at least I was able to prove that I could stand on my own two feet perfectly fine. This kid deserved the chance to be more than just a hero…he needed a chance to be himself.

* * *

Bruce's legacy was always about Batman, but mine never ended at Robin, I'm not even sure where it's going to end.

They say we wear masks to hide our true selves. For Bruce it was the other way around, to him Bruce Wayne was always the disguise and Batman was his true self. He's felt that way for so long, I can't help but wonder who really was the man raised me all those years ago. I may never be Robin again, but that never changed how much I used to look up to him. I wanted this kid to have someone to look up to like I did, someone he could rely on, someone to catch him, to be his safety net…I think…I want to be that person.

I'm sorry Bruce, I don't want to let you down. You were the best father I could ask for. We may have butted heads so many times, but I always looked up to you, there were times where I've even thought about growing up just like you, when I was still Robin. But I'm not you, and I never will be… If this kid falls, I want to be there to catch him, I want to be a father.

* * *

"You can't just leave," cried Tim slamming his hand against the living room table, "Gotham needs Batman."

I knew Tim wouldn't be happy about my decision, but the courts granted me full custody of the baby, and I had to do what was best for my child. I learned from experience that Gotham is never the best place to raise a kid unless you want them turn into a new vigilante and/or supervillain, and in this town both are born from pain and suffering. That's not the kind of life I want for my son, I want him to grow up free from the shadows of legacies, so that his future would be his to choose. Tim knew that to give him that life, I had to leave Gotham, I couldn't be Batman anymore.

"I'm sorry Tim," I tell him, trying not to sound condescending, "but I have to go. He needs me."

"What about what Gotham needs?", he cried, "Without Batman what will kind of future will the city have? Dick you're the only one who can do this. You can't just let the legend die."

"That's the thing Tim. You asked me what kind of future Gotham will have without a Batman, but with all the people protesting the Bat, I don't think I should take up the cowl anymore. Batman used to be a symbol of justice and safety, now it's become the source of so much fear and hatred."

"Since when has a little rebellion ever been any problem for us? Besides, I know they'll turn around. Sooner or later they'll realize how much they need us."

I was a little concerned with the way Tim talked; he was starting to sound like Raptor. Talking about how the world would be better by following a singular path towards justice. But justice isn't just one road that leads towards peace, its multiple roads. Every decision, every choice, every judgement we make is but a stepping stone down our own personal path towards justice. Some paths are straight and narrow, while others are full of twists and turns, some are clear as glass, others are so foggy it's almost impossible to see the road ahead. Bruce and I once both walked down the same dark path, but one day we reached a fork in the road, and I took a different path. And so I have reached another fork, and so I have chosen a new path. I have chosen to become a father.

I guess I kind of expected Tim to be mad about my decision, he wasn't exactly thrilled when I told him that I wouldn't go back to being Robin, and my giving the role to Damian, after I had to take over for Bruce didn't help things, but life moves on and I have chosen to move with it. I wanted to teach my kid about the different paths that present themselves before us and not the ones our parents and predecessors walked on, and I couldn't do it in Gotham because the Bat will forever cast a shadow over every street, every building, everyone.

"What am I supposed to do now?" He asked me with a cold and angry expression that wasn't like Tim at all.

"I know you'll figure something out. I believe in you Tim."

Of all the Robins that came after me, I don't think anyone took the job and responsibilities that came with it more seriously than Tim Drake. Even though he lived with no tragedies in his life, he suffered because of Robin, but he endured it because he chose to. I always thought that Tim was a better Robin than me maybe he'll be the better Batman.

* * *

Damian didn't say much, actually he didn't say anything, usually he's the one who always has to have the last word. Takes after his father I suppose, always hiding behind a mask, I wish he'd open up a little more about it. I may be leaving Gotham for the sake of my son, but I wasn't planning to flat out abandon the rest of the family.

* * *

Still no word back from Jason. I feel bad for leaving without saying goodbye to all my brothers, especially since things have been so tense between me and Jason, I wanted to at least make amends, but I can't wait any longer. The moving van is packed and ready, and I only had so many supplies for the trip.

* * *

After having to deal with three new Robins, I learned how to be a older brother, but I never thought the day would come where I would decide to become a father. Jason, Tim, Damian, they were all great kids, but they're not kids anymore, they don't need their big brother always looking over their shoulder. Each became their own person, and I hope that my kid would grow up to become his own person too. Not as the protégé of a great hero but as someone living his life.

I wanted to tell my brothers that this isn't forever, that I'll come back, maybe not as Batman or even Nightwing, but I'll be there whenever they need me. Maybe it was selfish of me to choose this kid over Gotham, but Jason, Tim and Damian can take care of themselves now. They've all stepped out of the Shadow of the Bat and cast their own shadows, created their own legacies; they don't need me anymore. But this little baby didn't have a legacy, we all chose to follow Bruce, and this kid could grow up to be more than a Robin, he just needed to discover himself before he can chose his path.

Blood or not, I believe in my brothers, I believe in my family and I believe in the future of my child.

* * *

My friends in the Titans helped us relocate. It was a simple neighborhood: good neighbors, lots of places to play and most importantly a low crime rate. Not the kind of place that would need capes and masks, not yet anyway, a good place to raise a child.

We were housed in a little flat, it's no Wayne Manor, but it's not like I need a place the size of hotel. And anyway it was good place to start.

The movers unloaded all the boxes, making a mess of the place, if Alfred were around he'd be complaining about what a mess I was making. I wonder what he would say about my decision to hang up my mask to raise my son… away from my brothers…away from my family...

The first thing I do is set up the crib, which is harder than it looks. I swear I've diffused bombs in less time, still I managed…mostly.

He was sleeping so peacefully, it was hard to imagine that a few minutes ago he was squirming in my arms as if he was trying to break free and fly. As he lay sleeping in his little bed, I looked down at him, wondering if he was having pleasant dreams. Damian wasn't kidding, he looked so fragile, so weak, but looks can be deceiving. This kid was something special, I could see it in his eyes, maybe it was a case of father's intuition, but I know he's a regular kid wonder.

As I rock his crib, a robin flies by the windowsill. Its beady black eyes gaze directly at the little sleeping baby, its sweet song seems to arouse him, as if he had some sort of connection with the bird. This confirmed my suspicions, Bruce was never one to believe in something so intangible, but I knew it, this kid was going do great things someday.

I gently press my lips against his forehead, and carefully leaned against his ear. "Welcome home Thomas John Grayson." I whisper to him. Looking down at him I was filled with a strange sense of hope, a hope unlike anything I've ever known, I don't quite understand it, but I know. I believe in my son.

Today I am not a hero, I am not a vigilante, I am just a father.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope this chapter was to your liking. Please review, until the next chapter.**


	3. First Fall

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this new chapter.**

 **Just to be clear, since the Titans of Tomorrow arc comes from pre-52 and that, according to future Tim in Rebirth Detective Comics, history has been altered. I will try to accommodate for as much of the different universes as I can, but this story will be mostly based off of what would have happened, if not for Flashpoint.**

* * *

Six year old Thomas John Grayson, or Tommy as he was affectionately known as, had climbed the tallest tree in the entire grove. Hiding amidst the foliage, he watched birds fly past him, always flying, always on the move, forever free. Tommy always dreamed of flying with birds… one bird in particular.

As he marveled at the view from above, his thoughts were interrupted by a literal voice in his head. "It was a pretty clever idea to use the height of the tree to get out of my telepathic range, but don't forget birds aren't the only ones who can fly." Suddenly, a hooded figure floated right in front of him, it was the Titan Omen, also known as Lilith Clay, a psionic, and a family friend. "Now won't you come quietly," she asked sweetly as she reached out towards him.

"Sorry Omen," Tommy replied with a coy smile on his face, "but you know me, I never do anything quietly." With that he jumped down from his perch as he was about to catch the next branch, until it suddenly moved out of the way before he could even touch it. Tommy looked up and saw the Titan called Tempest, also known as Garth, an Atlantean, and another family friend.

"I wasn't sure I would be able to focus my water manipulating abilities to control the tree sap, but it looks like it worked," Tempest declared boldly, "I'm not even sure King Arthur has ever attempted such a feat."

Tempest used his powers to move every branch out of Tommy's way, with nothing to hold on to all he could do was fall. His father always told him that when people fall, he hoped that someone's there to catch them, but Tommy didn't need catching. When he fell, he felt more at peace than he's ever been the rush of adrenaline as he soars towards the ground, the feeling of the wind brushing his face, it was like flying. Tommy didn't want it to end, but he knew it would have to. While he found himself getting closer to the ground, he felt a sudden gush of wind that almost lifted him up, it came up and dissipated as fast as lightning, maybe even faster, Tommy looked down to see foam dispersing at the base of the tree, he recognized the handiwork…Those Titans never give up...

Tommy flipped and landed feet first into the foam, he knew about the foam's tensile properties that when it dries it's as bouncy as a trampoline. One jump was all he needed and he found himself tumbling mid-air onto a mossy carpet of grass.

"Nice landing kid," said Wally West Flash, "but you can't run forever".

"Yeah," retorted Roy Harper Arsenal, "so give up now and save yourself the trouble."

Wally West Flash and Roy Harper Arsenal, Titans and two of the best friends anyone could ask for.

"Not going to happen," Tommy replied, cheekily.

"Suit yourself," said Wally. With his lightning speed the Flash zipped towards little Tommy in an attempt to catch him. "Come on kid, you know you can't outrun me, I'm the fastest man alive," he added with confidence.

"I don't need to outrun you," Tommy jumped up and summersaulted his way towards Flash's back, "I just need to outmaneuver you." As his feet made contact with the Flash's back, the surprise of the blow made Wally to suddenly to lose his footing, causing him to slip and crash into a nearby tree.

"Nice moves kid wonder," remarked Roy Harper Arsenal, "but let's see you dodge these."

He sent a flurry of foam arrows in Tommy's direction, the kid managed to dodge them with his superior agility. He moved so fast and fluidly, as if he had an invisible pair of wings. Arsenal should have known better than to challenge a Flying Grayson…and he did. He wasn't aiming for Tommy, he was corralling him into the arms of an Amazonian warrior, Donna Troy, also known as Troia, another Titan and the most loyal friend anyone could ask for.

She grabs Tommy by the collar of his shirt, he struggles out her grip but he was no match for the strength of an Amazon.

"Game over little one," she said.

He continued to squirm in her grasp. "Come on, let me go Aunt Donna."

"Sorry son, but you heard her: the game's over," said the voice of an approaching man in his police uniform. Richard, "Dick", Grayson, Tommy's father and friend of the Titans.

"No fair dad," the child cried out, "you're not supposed to help!"

High Powered Hide-and-Seek, Tommy's favorite game, he would hide and they would use every power and skill in their arsenal to catch him. A game Tommy would usually win, unless his father joined the fray.

"Sorry little flyer," Dick replied, "but your aunts and uncles are going to have to leave soon. Cyborg and Starfire can't keep watch over Titans Tower on their own forever."

His father told him that he would sometimes work at Titans Tower as some sort of covert consultant, which in Tommy's eyes, was probably the coolest thing about his dad. Dick also worked in law enforcement, but as a police officer not a superhero and as an acting liaison to the Titans. Because of his father's dangerous job Tommy had received rigorous training in self-defense and problem solving as a precautionary measure, but he never needed to use it for anything aside from games.

"Man," Tommy exclaimed, "and I wanted to show Aunt Donna my new moves."

"There might still be time for that," Donna replied, happily.

Tommy perked up. "Really?"

"Are you sure Donna?" asked Dick, "I know how busy the Titans can be."

"An Amazon never backs down from a challenge," she retorted proudly, "besides Dick, your son still has a lot to learn about the art of combat."

Donna left with Tommy to a more open part of the woods, leaving the other Titans to talk.

Wally West zoomed towards his best friend, "Gotta say I missed this…Nightwing."

Dick sighed and combed his hand through his hair. "Flash, you know I haven't gone by that name in years."

"I know," Wally replied, "but the Titans miss you, once a Titan always a Titan."

"Yes," agreed Garth, "despite everything you were our leader: that much hasn't changed."

"Donna has done a pretty good job so far," said Dick.

"Yeah, but she doesn't have your talent for covert operations," Roy replied, "none of us have enough _Batman_ inside of us for that."

Even though Dick had given up his mask, his old teammates from his Titan days had not forgotten him. Despite everything, they were more than just friends, they were family, and this family still held strong.

Still Dick often wondered about his other family.

Dick turned to Roy. "So, what's the word from Gotham?"

Dick had been probing his old team for information about his other family in Gotham, his first family. The Titans had become part of a resistance group called Titans East, who were fighting against an old faction of their team now calling themselves the Titans of Tomorrow. The latter have set it upon themselves to _impose_ their own brand of justice onto the world. One member of this terrifying new team of Titans was Tim Drake, once a Robin, now Batman, and one of Dick's youngest surrogate brothers.

Roy was the Titans' liaison to the Colony, a military group working to take down the Gotham division of these Tyrant Titans. He gained that title because he was closely acquainted with Jason Todd, the Red Hood, one of the Colony's most valuable members, and another former Robin. Although Dick and Jason still haven't spoken to each other in years, Dick had tried to reach out to his first brother for years. Unfortunately, Jason never replied, but that didn't stop Dick from worrying. In the end, the only way he could keep an eye Jason was through Arsenal's report.

"Well…" Arsenal started precariously, he knew how much leaving Gotham weighed on Dick's mind the last thing Roy wanted was to make him feel worse about it, but he couldn't leave Dick without an answer either, "Tim…Tim has inserted the Brother Eye program into every electronic device in the city, and has transformed most of his victims into OMACs …"

With every detail Roy described, Dick became more and more worried, he knew he had to do what was right for the sake of his son, but he wasn't expecting his own family to go to war with each other. According to the Titans East reports, Jason and Kate Kane, Batwoman, were heading the Colony's paramilitary units, while Damian was brutally murdering criminals on the street and blowing up buildings and Tim…

"This threat has even reached as far as Atlantis," Garth added, apprehensively, "Arthur is barely able to shore up our defenses, and the Titans of Tomorrow are seeking to control his heirs."

All of the Titans knew how much Gotham meant to Dick, but they also understood the burdens of being a parent. Dick loved Tommy to pieces and he knew what leaving the mantle of the Bat could mean for Gotham, but he believed that his brothers were capable enough to handle it on together. But instead they became the instigators of a Bat civil war.

"I knew I shouldn't have left Gotham," Dick said, feeling utterly defeated. He tried keeping in touch with his brothers, but never once did he hear back from them. So, when he heard about the situation at his former home he wished he could have done something.

"Don't beat yourself up Dick," Roy said, trying to encourage his old friend, "you did what you had to for Tommy. I would have done the same for Lian."

"Roy's right," Wally added, "your time with your family can move so fast, you need to savor every second of it."

"But I haven't been there for my family, not all of them anyway."

Dick had left Gotham because his son was born prematurely, meaning that his physiology had not fully developed and the problems could present themselves as he gets older. He needed a place where he could monitor Tommy's health without the pressures of dangerous criminals breathing down his neck, unfortunately no one in his family really approved of his decision. His actions were warranted but he wondered if he had done things differently, would he have been able to prevent all this?

"You said so yourself, Dick," Garth interjected, "they aren't kids anymore. They need to take responsibility for their own actions."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"You did what you had to for your son," Roy repeated, "no one should hold that against you, especially not yourself."

"He's right," said Lilith, "it doesn't take a mind reader to know that even Tommy understands what you're doing for him."

"And hey, at least, you're kid doesn't have speed force powers you don't understand," Wally added quickly, "Iris and Jai aren't exactly running on the walls, but there's still so much about their powers we don't understand."

Ever since the Teen Titans first formed, Dick always knew he could rely on his teammates, but he also knew that times were changing and with Tommy's birthday coming up, he was even more frightened about what could lie ahead.

* * *

Donna swung her sword at Tommy, the latter dodged her with just a leap. Like Nightwing, Tommy was a hard target to hit, he moved quickly and gracefully, every movement felt natural to him and every countermovement was like awakening an instinct. As he managed to escape the Amazonian's sword, Tommy quickly lunged himself into a kicking position and aimed for Donna's head, only to be blocked by her shield.

"Good," said Donna, instructively, "without the head the body is useless."

Tommy had been training with the Titans for as long as he could remember, his dad told him that Tommy needed to learn how to defend himself against any kind of enemy and, as a close friend of some of the greatest heroes in the world, he was given an education unlike any other. The Titans taught him how to fight and his father taught him compassion and courage: things that he knew his idol would approve of.

"How long do you think I'll have to wait before I get trained by Nightwing?" He asked as he prepared for another attack.

Donna rolled her eyes as she prepared to counter. "You know the deal your father made. You'll get to meet him when you turn twelve."

"Why do I have to wait until I'm twelve?" He asked, whining. It was no secret that Tommy was an avid Nightwing fan, everyone at school would tell stories great heroes like Superman or Batman and he would listen to those tales with baited breath. His dad's job as the Titans liaison allowed him to meet all sorts of heroes, except the one he admired the most. Nightwing was the only Titan he's never met. Tommy didn't understand why he had to wait until he turned twelve to meet Nightwing. He didn't understand why Nightwing didn't want to meet him.

Donna set aside her sword and shield, and crouched down to meet Tommy in the eye. Dick had told the other Titans that he wanted to keep his son in the dark about his other life because he wanted to give Tommy the chance to grow into his own person, before letting him decide whether or not he wanted partake in the family business. In fact, he had retired the Nightwing name just for that very purpose.

"Your dad just wants to make sure you understand how dangerous our job really is," She replied.

"But he lets me around you guys."

"That's because his relationship with Nightwing is…different from ours."

Tommy looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I think it's best if your dad explains this to you, but he is just trying to keep you safe."

Tommy crossed his arms bitterly. "Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean I'm dumb. Dad just doesn't want me to be one of you; that only metas and aliens can do what you do."

Donna almost laughed at that comment, considering who his father is. "Your father knows we're not all metas and aliens, just look at Arsenal and Batman."

"Yeah, but Uncle Roy lost an arm and Batman just went crazy, dad thinks I'm going to end up like that, that's why he doesn't want me to meet Nightwing."

Donna wasn't sure how to respond, Tommy wasn't wrong, Dick didn't want his son to become another masked hero for fear he'd end up broken or alone, but he still didn't know the whole truth. "Why do you want to meet Nightwing so badly, anyway?" She asked.

He simply smiled and replied, "Because he's the best."

* * *

After a day of training, fun and games, the Titans said their goodbyes and took off in their jet. Meanwhile, Dick and Thomas headed to their simple little flat, in their simple little town.

It was a cold night, but the Grayson household was filled with warmth, warmth from the flickering fireplace, warmth from a father embracing his son. It was a family tradition for them to spend a cold evening in front of a warm fire just before Tommy's birthday and just enjoy that moment of peace: A moment where they didn't have to worry about work or school or training. It was just a moment: A moment to appreciate the time spent together, a moment to remember the joy in their lives, a moment to forget the weight of the world.

Tommy was snuggly laying his head in his father's arms, the warmth of his chest, comfortably complementing the warmth of the fire. His heart was beating in tandem with the flickering of the flames, the sounds of life.

"Did you enjoy spending time with your aunts and uncles?" Dick asked his son

"Yeah," he answered excitedly, "Uncle Roy said that he'd teach me one of Nightwing's combat moves next time."

Dick rolled his eyes. He didn't doubt Arsenal could hold his own in a fist fight without his bow and arrows, but he was nowhere near the level of someone who was trained by Batman. Still, he coolly asked, "Do you think you'll be as good as Nightwing?"

He didn't meet his father's eyes. "I want to be." He sounded unsure.

For as long Dick could remember, Tommy has always admired Nightwing, in fact Nightwing was the first word that escaped his son's lips. Maybe it was his father's influence, maybe the fact that Dick was the liaison to a superhero team, but the fact remained, Tommy took to Nightwing as Dick took to Robin Hood.

"Dad," Tommy continued, "why do I have to wait until I'm twelve to meet Nightwing?"

Dick was silent for a moment. He couldn't very well tell Tommy that his father was the hero he idolized all his life or the reason he gave it all up, but he tried to be genuine in his response. "Because Nightwing knows that you're a very talented kid, and he wants to make sure that whatever you decide to do with those talents is because of who _you_ are, not who he is."

Despite being a child, Tommy was incredibly perceptive: he could pick on things that most wouldn't notice, he knew that his father was hiding something in his words, but he couldn't tell what.

Dick was adamant about keeping Nightwing's secret identity from his son for as long as he could. Tommy was still so young, he had an entire lifetime to decide his future. Dick hoped that if Tommy was old enough, he would outgrow his obsession with Nightwing, but it seemed that the older Tommy got, the more he determined he was to meet him.

"Why do you want to meet him so badly?" Dick asked.

"Because he's the best."

"You mean he's up there with Superman…or Batman?"

He shook his head. "No. People listen to Superman because he has cool powers, people listen to Batman because he's scary smart, but people listen to Nightwing because they believe in him, because they know he's good. That's why he's the best, that's why I want to be like Nightwing when I grow up. Because nobody's better than Nightwing."

Hearing that Dick was stunned, he barely had the time to process his son's words when he heard a sudden ticking noise…

* * *

Dick quickly grabbed his son and sped out the door. Before Tommy had a moment to react, Dick was already out the door. As they exited, a blast blew them halfway across the yard.

"What was that?" Tommy asked, taken aback by the sudden explosion.

"Trouble," his father responded in full vigilante mode, "We have to warn the neighborhood." He activated his Titans' communicator. "Flash, can you read me."

"Loud and clear," Wally responded as he zoomed right towards Dick in full uniform.

"How did you-" Dick started.

"I'm the Fastest Man Alive remember. Anyways, we were investigating Intergang and found out that they made a deal with a major corporation who was looking to buy this place and-"

"Let me guess," Dick interrupted, "no one wanted to sell their homes."

Flash nodded. "The other Titans will be here as soon as they can." As he spoke, more explosives started to go off, causing more homes to go up in flames, the cries of panicked citizens echoed in the air. Wally lowered his head shamefully. "Sorry Dick, I wish we had found out about this faster."

Dick places a hand on Wally's shoulder. "Right now, the priority is getting the neighborhood to safety. I'll call the police on the scanner, while they take care of the blaze, we proceed to evacuate the neighborhood, until the Titans arrive."

Flash looked at Dick. "By 'we' do you mean…"

Dick nodded. The explosion had already partially burnt his clothes, the charring only revealed a dark body suit beneath his uniform. When he removed his burnt garments, there was the sign of a familiar blue bird on the chest area.

"You still wear your uniform under your civvies," Flash asked, astonished, "even though you're retired."

"Something Batman taught me," Dick replied, as he removed a mask from the lining of his suit and placed it on his face, "Be ready for anything."

"Dad?" Tommy asked, confused and scarred. Nightwing and Flash had been so busy focused on the emergency, they had almost forgotten about the little boy watching them.

Dick crouched down and looked his son in the eye. "I'm sorry little flyer," he told Tommy, sorrowfully, "I was hoping to wait until you turned twelve, but I'll explain everything to you later. I promise." He turned to Flash. "There's a lake nearby, probably the only clear area in this blaze, we'll gather everyone there."

"Got to say," Flash added, "it's good to have you back…Nightwing."

Nightwing nodded in reply, as much as he loved his son, the Nightwing part of him never went away.

"Take Tommy with to the lake," Nightwing ordered. "I'll radio in the authorities to help with the clear a path to it. Stay close, but keep the com-lines open. Intergang members could still be hiding somewhere."

Flash nodded. He grabbed Tommy and before the kid wonder could react, Tommy felt a gush of air momentarily brushing him, and found himself at the lake in a Flash.

Tommy looked at his Uncle Wally, his eyes flooded with concern, as the latter placed him into the water. When Tommy tried to ask his uncle what was going on, the Flash looked him in the eye and told him, "Your dad wanted to make sure you were old enough to understand, instead of witnessing some major catastrophe, but this is what we do kiddo. This is why your dad didn't want you in the family business; because he's afraid you'll get hurt in more ways than one..."

They were interrupted by the sudden landing of the T-Jet. As the Titans exited the aircraft, they quickly rushed towards their adoptive nephew to make sure he was alright. Their concerns did not assuage his confusion though. He was still processing the fact that the hero he looked up to since childhood was his sweet-tempered father.

Suddenly, an authoritative but familiar voice escaped their com-links. "Titans this is Nightwing, come in."

Donna answered her com first, "We hear you Nightwing."

"Listen-up team, the explosions and fires are out of control here. Tempest, Omen, see if you two can combine your powers to use the lake water to handle the blaze and try to calm down any civilians that we evacuate there, while you're at it."

"Copy that Nightwing," Tempest replied.

"Troia, Flash," Nightwing continued, "I need you to help with the evacuation. Split-up and scout as much of the area as you can but be careful, Intergang members might still be hiding. Arsenal, why don't you work with the police to help clear a path for the evac."

Once Nightwing had finished distributing his orders, Tommy coaxed Omen to crouch down to his level, as he whispered into her com, still as frightened and confused as ever. "Dad?" he asked.

"Tommy listen. Do you remember what you said about believing in Nightwing? Do you still believe that?"

Tommy paused. For the first time in his life, his ideals were being challenged, and he didn't know if he could rise to the challenge. Nightwing had been his hero for as long as he remembered and he wanted to meet him more than anything, but, if Nightwing was his father, who does that make him? He remembered how the Titans would tell him about how Nightwing never faltered when leading his team to battle; he remembered how his classmates' great-grandparents would tell him about how reassuring it was to have him by their side. Ever since Tommy heard those stories, he knew that was the kind of person he wanted to become, and he still did, the question that remained was could he?

Tommy finally replied, "Yes."

"Then, I need you to trust me little flyer. Stay in the water with the rest of the civilians, it'll keep the flames at bay and listen to your aunt and uncle. And no matter what happens _do not leave the water._ "

Tommy didn't like the tone of his father's voice at all: it made him sound like he was an incompetent child. He had been training with his dad and the Titans since he could walk, they taught him how to care of himself, so why wouldn't they let him?

"But dad-" Tommy started to protest.

"No 'buts' son, this goes beyond what you trained for." And with that, the Titans started to carry out their orders.

* * *

Needless to say, Tommy wasn't too happy about sitting out the mission. As he stood within the cold murky waters of the lake, the only thought that crossed his mind was the desire to help his dad and show everyone that he was his father's son. These thoughts flowed in tandem with the rippling the water, flowing and growing until they dissipated into folly. As more people began to fill the lake, thoughts of proving his worth continued to fill Tommy's head, he dreamed about showing Nightwing what he was capable of and that was exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

His dad taught him how to sneak past people and he was pretty good at it, Omen and Tempest didn't even notice him leaving the water. He was like a walking shadow, unnoticed, unseen and unheard. He slipped out of the silence of the darkness and into the light of the blazing chaos. Screams pierced the air like nails on a chalkboard, the melody of their cries was harmonized by the echo of the explosions. It was carnage unlike anything Tommy had ever seen: it was horrifying. The mayhem proved to be too much for him though as he found himself frozen with fear...

Amidst the confusion the kid wonder could see his father fighting against members of Intergang. They had rifles aimed at him, but Nightwing dodged the sprays of bullets like he was made of air. Tommy watched his father in amazement, everything he saw confirmed what he believed about Nightwing, he was brave, he was strong, and he never backed down when it came to protecting the people. Tommy always thought that his father became a police officer because of what happened to his parents, but somehow he felt like there was always more to it.

After he enemy sent his enemy running with their tails between their legs, Nightwing spotted a young boy just watching him. "Tommy!" Dick cried out to his son.

Tommy could hear his father's cry but he found himself unable to respond. The screams, the fires, the explosions: it felt like everything was crashing around him and he was powerless to stop it. The fear inside him still chilled him to the core, as he witnessed the blazing scene before him, it froze every ligament in his body, causing him to grow weak and weary. The last thing he saw his father running towards, panic instilled in his eyes, before his entire world went black.

When Tommy came to, he felt a bright light searing at his eyes and something heavy sitting on top of his chest, preventing him from moving, and some sort of warm liquid trickling from it, but as he adjusted he could see father's face, his eyes were closed almost as if were asleep. But the stillness of his face was unsettling.

Tommy called out softly, "Dad?"

No reaction. His father didn't even bat an eye.

He tried again, "Dad?"

Tommy felt one of his arms move free from the crushing weight, he brought it up to his face to wipe away the dust hanging from his mouth, and while he was able to cast away the musty stench of dust, he was greeted by the salty, metallic taste of blood… his father's blood.

Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, as little Thomas John Grayson lay buried beneath a pile of rubble, the lifeless eyes of his father staring back at him. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry so loud the heavens could hear it, but the fear that prevented from moving a muscle somehow froze his voice. He felt like he was trapped in a tomb, a tomb created from his own actions.

Suddenly, he felt his resting place being disturbed: everything was shaking right down to its foundation, dirt loosely falling from above and air gushing through the cracks. He could hear the muffled sounds of the Titans' voices as shaking continued, they found him and they were going to dig him out his tomb.

As the voices began to thin, he could hear Omen's voice the clearest. "I sense that Tommy is in emotional distress," she said with urgency, "we need to hurry."

The strongest members of the team were picking up as much of the discarded wood as their enhanced strength would allow them. Soon enough they were able to dig them up, but what they saw left the mighty Titans speechless.

As the light shone down into his dark world Tommy could see in detail the horror his actions wrought. He was drenched in his father's blood that bloody tears streamed down his face.

With all his strength, Tommy ran into the arms of his surrogate aunts and uncles, and cried harder than he's ever cried in his entire life. His dad taught him how to fly and he loved it more than anything, but for the first time in his life, he didn't feel like he was flying, he felt himself falling.

* * *

The night of his seventh birthday, little Thomas John Grayson buried his father.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always, feel free to review. Until the next chapter, dear readers.**


	4. The Flight Before The Fight

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

Wally was at his house in Keystone, his family safely tucked away and sleeping. After a long day of running rings around criminals, he was about to turn in as well, until he heard a tapping sound by his window. It sounded like a little bird pecking at the glass, but when he looked closer he saw ten-year-old Thomas "Tommy" John Grayson knocking at the windowsill.

Wally opened the window. A momentary chill seemed to fill the entire house just as Tommy hopped across the frame.

"What are you doing here Tommy?" Wally asked, concerned.

Ever since Dick's death, every member of the Titans worked hard to get custody of his son, but none of them could be deemed as an apt guardian by the courts. They either couldn't provide stability, or didn't have the financial means, there have even been concerns about the repercussions of leaving a human child in the care of aliens or Atlanteans. In the end, the courts had no choice but to place Tommy into the system. The problem was that he couldn't find a family that would be willing to take him on permanently.

"Sorry," Tommy replied timidly, "I just needed a place to shut down for a bit."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," said Wally as he directed his anxious surrogate nephew to the living room couch.

"Things were getting a little heated at the foster home that's all. I just needed to step away for a moment."

Most of Tommy's foster homes weren't exactly the worst places in the world, but they weren't the happiest either. Infighting aside, he had trouble making friends, and whenever he did find a potential friend, he'd be sent off to the next foster home before he even had the chance to really connect with them. And he was going to be sent away again soon enough.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Wally, "You know Lilith is doing everything she can to find you a permanent place."

"I know." Tommy sounded absent as he spoke, it was as if he was distracted by something that's been eating at him his entire life.

"This is about your dad isn't it?"

Tommy directed his eyes downward and spoke so quietly his voice could have easily been mistaken for a breeze. "Why didn't he tell me?" He asked as he hugged his knees.

When Tommy learned that Nightwing was his dad, so much was going through his mind. Even after all these years, he still couldn't wrap the thought around his head and with his father gone Tommy could never ask him about the blurry of thoughts that have clouded his mind the moment he saw his dad's emblem on his chest.

"Dick just wanted to make sure that the life you chose was your own. He didn't want you to put on a mask just because he did."

Tommy pressed his knees closer to him. "I just can't help but think about what else was he hiding from me?"

"I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, but your dad was just trying to protect you."

"I know. It's just that I feel like I never really knew him at all. I spent my whole life asking dad about Nightwing and he always told me to wait until I turned twelve, only to find out that my hero is the man who raised me on the day he dies." Tommy turned his head towards Wally, decisively. "I need to know who my dad is."

"We've told you everything we know about him."

"Yeah, but The Titans are only half of his story, the rest of it is somewhere else."

Wally didn't like the sound of that. "No," He retorted sternly, "You know that place is a warzone right now… You are not going to Gotham City."

"You think you can stop me," Tommy challenged, "I've managed to sneak past you all from the moment I could walk, and the only time you've ever been able to catch me was with dad's help. With or without your help I'm going to see them."

As painful as it was to hear, Tommy wasn't wrong, every time the Titans tried to chase him down Dick was the only one who had ever gotten close. They all tried their best, but Tommy could almost make the original Batman stick out like a sore thumb.

Wally let out a defeated sigh. "How badly do you want this?" The speedster asked.

Tommy looked at him, his eyes still filled with determination. "I don't think I've ever wanted anything more than this." He turned away for a moment. "Dad always told me that he mourned his parents by celebrating how they lived, but I can't mourn someone whose life I never knew, I'm not even sure I knew him at all."

"You realize that Gotham is not a happy place to be in right now?" Wally retorted, emphasizing every other word.

"I know there are risks Uncle Wally, but I'm not sure where else I'm supposed to go from here. They're the only ones who can give me the answers I'm looking for."

Dick had told his son countless tales about his time in Gotham, minus the masked hero bits, but the tales that stood out the most were the ones of four boys, all born in completely different worlds, formed a bond stronger than blood. A bond of brothers. A bond of family.

He thought that maybe that bond would help him find what he's looking for.

* * *

Tommy knew that they held the answers to the questions he sought, the only problem was getting into the city in the midst of a civil war.

* * *

It was hard to make a case with Nightwing's son, Dick may have never had any powers but none could match his skills, skills that he taught Tommy. Skills that only a special kind of bird can master.

The Titans had no choice but to comply. They pulled a few strings and had Arsenal, their liaison to the Colony's make arrangements for Tommy to be stationed in the city as a freelance agent.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Arsenal asked, concerned.

"Everything started at Gotham city for my dad," Tommy replied, "I know I can get the answers I need from there."

"I've been to that city before, it has a way of turning you inside out. The secrets it holds can change your world until you no longer recognize yourself."

"Dad always told me know what you're getting into before you make a leap. I know the risks Uncle Roy, but this is my choice. Besides, my world has already changed so much, anything new wouldn't surprise me at this point."

Tommy reminded Roy of Dick's first days as a Teen Titan, always so determined and headstrong, never letting up even for a second. This kid had the same spark in his eyes, the eyes of a Titan, the eyes of his father. The Teen Titans came together because they wanted to prove to their mentors that they could go beyond what and no one felt like they had more to prove than Dick Grayson, and now his own son was struggling not just to prove his worth but also to find himself.

Before the discussion could continue, the Titans walked in, dressed in full uniform with a serious but solemn look painted on their faces. Tommy didn't like this sudden appearance; he was worried that they were going to make another argument about him staying.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked, tentatively.

Flash was the first to speak. "You already know that none of us approve of this decision, but you deserve to know more about your father."

"So," Donna continued, "we're going to help keep you safe."

"I appreciate the gesture Aunt Donna, but you Titans already have your hands full protecting your own cities and I don't need babysitters."

"We're not going with you," said Tempest, "we're going to give you something to protect you. Something your father would have wanted you to have."

They led him to the forest where he used to play. It seemed smaller than it did the last time he was there, of course years had passed since he last came. Their trek led them to a tall grassy hill standing alone, hidden within a thick canopy of trees.

"Why are we here?" Tommy asked.

"It's as we told you," Tempest replied, "We want to make sure you'll be safe. And since we won't can't come with you, we've decided to give you something to help you."

As Garth spoke, Wally placed one of his hands on the side of the hill, his hand seemed to phase right through the ground, but he hadn't vibrate a single molecule. When he took his hand out, the image of the grassy greenery started to pixelate and fade, revealing a thick metal doorway. As the doors opened, they were greeted by the sound of rushing air and the sight of a large elevator shaft.

"Let me guess," said Tommy as the elevator rose from the shaft, "This is another secret dad kept from me."

"Are you surprised at this point?" Wally asked.

"I guess not."

They rode the elevator all the way down to an underground tunnel, a tunnel reinforced with military grade titanium alloy. At the end of the tunnel, there was a giant vault door, probably thicker than a bank safe, double-locked and heavy duty.

Roy inputted a code on the keypad on the adjacent wall and placed his non-mechanical hand on the scanner. The locks clicked and the door flew open. Behind it was a room filled with wonders that most would only hope to find in a collector's shop: memorabilia from his dad's superhero days. Pictures of his father from his time as Robin, all the way to his brief stint as Batman, boxes filled to the brim with gizmos and gadgets, and superhero suits throughout the ages immortalized in glass cases.

It reminded him of a time when his dad told him one way of making sure a memory stayed special was to keep a little memento of the event safe in a Memory Box. This vault must have been his father's Memory Box.

What stood at the center of the room caught Tommy's attention the most, stood a lone mannequin wearing… a Robin suit…

Tommy approached the suit precociously, it didn't look like a standard Robin uniform, the material was almost as light and airy as silk rather than a thick and rigid Kevlar shell, but then again Nightwing was only of many Robins. "Is this…dad's?" he asked.

"Not exactly," Wally replied, "your dad was worried that once you learned the truth about him you would want to follow in his footsteps. He didn't feel like he should stop you, but he wanted to make sure you were safe. Dick designed the suit, but we all had a hand in making it."

"The suit's made up of interwoven layers of a special titanium alloy nanofibers that can withstand the blast of an M-60," Arsenal explained, "so it's as flexible as any fabric but tougher than Kevlar. Flame retardant too, Vic and Kori saw to that."

"There are Antlantean protection runes etched into the lining," Tempest added as he ran his fingers over the stiches that made up the symbols. They were hard to notice because the thread was so thin and translucent but they almost glimmered in the light like water. "They aren't very powerful, but they should offer protection against most magical attacks."

"Your gauntlets have the same indestructible properties as Diana's bracelets and from them you can pull out an endless supply of mini-weapons from your arsenal. Kind of like a utility belt on your wrists," said Troia.

"There are also psionic inhibitors hidden here," said Omen, pointing to the sides of the mask, "to shield you from telepathic attack. I tested them myself."

"Not to mention a modified Boom tube generator on your gauntlet computers, compliments of Cyborg," Flash finished, "so if you ever find yourself in a jam or need our help, you can always come running to us. The power supply limits the number of times you can teleport before you need to recharge, but it should be enough for now."

Tommy was speechless. All he could do was stare as tears poured from his eyes. He wasn't if it was because felt as though the outfit shone brighter than any star or if he was simply overwhelmed that his dad went to such painstaking lengths for his sake. All he knew was he couldn't be happier to be wearing Robin's symbol.

He thanked his aunts and uncles and quickly changed into his new clothes. When he donned on the mask for the first time, he's felt closer to his father than he'd ever been: The way the outfit seemed to perfectly fit his form, the way his cape moved as he did, he felt so alive, so free.

"You look just like your dad," Donna remarked tearfully.

The other Titans seemed to agree.

"I've made all of the arrangements with Jason, but are you _absolutely_ sure you don't want me to tell him who you are?" asked Arsenal.

"I don't want them to take me because they feel bad for what happened to dad. I want them to accept me because I mean something to them."

"Remember," said Wally, "If anything happens you can always come back to us."

"I know, but I'll be okay. I was taught by the greatest heroes in the world."

"Good luck then…Robin," saluted Garth.

"Stay in touch," added Omen as she gave Tommy a final hug.

"I will," Tommy replied as he began to release himself from the Titans care.

As he said his final goodbyes, the Son of the First Robin summoned a Boom tube from his on-board computer and walked towards his uncertain future.

At the other end of the tunnel, he was greeted by an army of armed mech soldiers, each carrying a plasma riffle in their hands and a thirst for battle behind their robotic eyes. They readied their weapons towards Tommy, but the little Robin was prepared for their assault. With a single leap he jumped over the entire army, strung their heads together with a lasso and knocked them together with a single tug.

The sound of clapping could be heard in the background, at the end of his first flight.

"Not bad kid," said a male voice from the shadows, "but you're going to have to do a lot more than fly if you want to keep that suit." Out from the shadows, stepped Jason Todd, also known as the Red Hood, also known as the Colony's head advisor, with hair as white as a ghost, a prosthetic arm, leg and an eyepatch. "I should know. I died wearing that."

Beside him was Katherine "Kate" Kane, once known as Batwoman and now has become the Colony's commanding officer.

"Arsenal told us about you," Kate started, "looks like he wasn't kidding when he said you had some talent."

"I had a lot of good teachers, sir… I mean ma'am," Tommy replied a bit shakily, as he tried to straighten his back. It was his first time in presence of a military officer let alone a member of his father's "family", he didn't want to disappoint them.

"But you've still have a lot to learn before we can dispatch you, soldier," she continued. She walked around him, examining him scrupulously as if she was trying to find fault in him. Even without a mask her gaze was nothing short of intimidating, and yet Tommy could see something warm and kind behind her stare. But he couldn't say a word, he was too fearful of giving himself away for if any of them suspected the truth about his secret identity, Tommy was sure any sympathy he'd get from them, would only from their pity.

"Yes ma'am." Tommy returned, trying to sound as clear as possible.

At the end of her inspection, she turned to face him.

"Nevertheless, welcome to the Colony."

* * *

 **A/N: What do you think? Feel free to offer any questions, comments and suggestions in your reviews. Until the next chapter.**


	5. Lonely Light

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to review.**

* * *

Death is a sad but inevitable part of everyone's life. We all end up losing people we love and we all try to deal with that in our own way: some cultures believe that their souls are reborn and life starts anew, others have an entire day dedicated to celebrating their lives instead of grieving their loss. When it's someone we love, we are always told that they had a good life or that they might find peace in death, but all those people had one thing in common: they all knew the dearly departed like they were joined to the hip.

Me? I've lost someone I loved and who probably loved me more than I ever knew because he gave up an entire life for me, in more ways than one. But I don't know how to mourn him because on the day he died I realized I never knew him at all. That's why I'm here, in the middle of a top secret location training, fighting killer soldiers with the steely gaze of a drill sergeant always looking over my shoulder, so that I can finally get the answer to a question that has been nagging at me since the day he died…

"Who is Nightwing?" Commander Kane didn't seem fazed as she repeated my question. "I wouldn't be able to tell you."

"But didn't you two used to fight together?" I said after slamming a couple practice drones into a wall with a cable lasso.

"He spent so much time moving around, we hardly ever talked. And I spent more time with the Gotham Knights anyway."

I used to be Thomas John Grayson, son of police officer, Richard "Dick" Grayson, and friend of the great Titans. Now, I am Robin, the new Boy Wonder, and apparently Nightwing's son, whatever that's supposed to mean. After dad died, I wasn't sure if I should have been mad at him for hiding such a huge secret from me or sad because he gave it all up for me and I never knew. I thought maybe if I learned more about him I would be able to say goodbye to him properly, but so far I haven't had much luck. Any time I ask, I never seem to get a straight answer, maybe it would have helped, if I had told them who my dad was, but I didn't want them feeling sorry for me.

"You need to focus on the task at hand soldier because in war you don't have time to ask questions."

"Yes ma'am." To say that Commander Kane's training was intense would be putting it mildly, I barely had any time to take a breath before the next wave of mech soldiers made their attack, but listening to her bark orders and fighting the mechs at the same time was hard. Every time I tried to focus on one, the other would break my concentration, and I'd tumble to the ground with no one to reach out their hand and pick me back up. When I trained with the Titans, at least I got a break. I know we're at war and all, but these people need to lighten up. Maybe there wouldn't be so much fighting, if everyone stopped focusing on what's wrong with the world. The Titans used to tell me that Gotham was always a huge mess and the only neat thing about it was the criminal underground. But that didn't mean the city didn't have good points too: dad used to tell me it was a kind of place where families were made. A place where everyone would come together and make something, maybe not something good or perfect, but at least they had family…sort of.

As I finished off the last of the mech platoons, my arms felt a ton of bricks, my legs felt like they were melting and don't get me started on my head.

Despite all my aches and bruises I think I did a pretty good job, but Commander Kane seemed to have a different idea because she came up to me and sternly said, "You're too soft, you're a great a great fighter, but you're not aggressive enough. This is war, and if you hesitate, you won't get a second chance."

It's not that I don't understand what the Commander's trying to say, but I'm afraid, afraid that if I fight as aggressively as she says I might do something I'll regret. Sure I was practicing against robots and they're not supposed to feel pain, but I worry that something might give, either inside of me or inside of my opponents. Sure, technically they're not alive, but who's to say that a soul doesn't dwell in those mechanical bodies? After all, the Titans have told me stories about machines displaying more compassion than most humans, so who knows, if a robot can have a mind it could certainly have a soul. I'll try to do it her way, but I can't help but worry every time I aim my weapon at my automated opponent, will they forgive me?

What I wouldn't give to have my old family back just for a minute. To have the chance to tell dad I'm sorry I didn't listen or ask him why he had to keep so much from me. To really be able to talk to the Titans about how scared I was about leaving or how much I wanted them to come with me. But this is something I needed to do alone. Because they know who Nightwing was, and like my dad they might also try to keep the truth from me because they're trying to be the good guys, because they think they're protecting me. But I can't let them keep trying to catch me; I'm not a little kid anymore, at least I don't feel like one.

* * *

I made my way to my quarters and plopped myself on my bed. The mattress was harder than a hardwood floor and the pillows and blankets weren't very soft. Not like my old room, where everything was so fluffy they'd swallow me up and the mattress was like a springy trampoline…I miss my room…I miss you…I want to go home, but I can't, not until I find what I'm looking for.

I've lost count of the time that's passed since I got here: sometimes it feels like weeks, sometimes it feels like months. I've been trying to talk to Mr. Todd, but he's harder to talk to than commander Kane. I'm not giving up though, someday I'll know the truth about you, and maybe I'll finally be able to say goodbye.

I tried to fall asleep, but I was suddenly awoken by the sound of approaching footsteps, they were treading lightly, but the sound was like thunder to my ears. And out from the doorframe of my room peeped, ghost white hair and an eyepatch.

Uncle Roy told me that Mr. Jason Todd became Robin, after my dad decided to become Nightwing, which means he probably knew my dad the longest. I want to ask him about dad, but he's been so busy, I'm never sure when the right time to ask is. Maybe now's my chance.

"Hey kid," asked Mr. Todd as he walked towards my bed, "how's training?"

"Okay, I guess. Is Commander Kane always this tough?"

"She's okay, once you get to know her. But she's right you know, you can't hesitate in battle, you don't have time to show any mercy. You've got some cute moves, but you wouldn't last a day in a city like Gotham."

His description of the city made me want to press my pillow against my chest, as I turned my head towards him. "Is it that bad there Mr. Todd?"

"Let's just say it looked better when the Red Hood was a gun slinging crime lord." He sat beside me on the bed and sighed. "Man do I ever miss those days."

It felt strange sitting so close to him for the first time, dad used to tell me how he and Mr. Todd were never exactly close, Uncle Roy even told me that he actually tried to kill dad and that they spent more time fighting each other than the bad guys. I wonder what he would do, if he found out that I'm his son.

"Can you tell me more Mr. Todd?" I asked. I remember dad's stories about his time in Gotham: he used to say that the city had a way of revealing ugly truths like a spotlight on a bad performance. I wonder what kind of truths it will reveal about my family.

"Well," started Mr. Todd, "it was definitely a tough place to live. You needed to be a something special to survive the mean streets of Gotham."

"Special?"

"You know the kind of kid who isn't afraid of being shot at or being hounded by creeps and freaks. The kind of person who's cool under pressure and isn't afraid to take risks."

"Like a Robin?"

"Something like that." He sounded kind of mad. I wonder if I said something wrong. "You seem awfully interested in Robins," he asked. He's going to grill me like the detective that trained him, but I can't let him know, I don't want him feeling sorry for me or worse.

"I've been a fan for as long as I can remember," I answered, "my dad used to tell all sorts of stories about the amazing boy wonders of Gotham city."

Mr. Todd scoffed at my words. "I was hardly what you call a Boy Wonder. Honestly, I was never cut out to be a Robin."

Uncle Roy told me about how the Red Hood was the Robin who died at the twisted hands of the Joker, but with the way secrets have been passed on in my family, part of me just figured that certain details were exaggerated. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring anything bad up."

"Yeah…Well…I'm over it." I'm worried, I know I said something I shouldn't have, but I don't know how to stop or if I even should. Talking with him is different than talking with dad, when I was with dad he tried to be as open as he could with me. But when I'm with Mr. Todd, I feel like I'd have an easier time talking to a brick wall. There's something about that look in his eye, it's not an icy cold stare, but it's almost as if part of his soul was ripped from him.

Part of me is too afraid to ask more questions, but the rest of me is too afraid to stop. "Can I ask? What was it like being Robin?" I hope I don't sound like a jerk.

"Let's just say Batman and I never really saw eye to eye. Sometimes I think the only reason he took me under his wing was because he missed swinging around with his old partner."

This is it. "I heard a lot about him too. Apparently, he was a pretty good Robin."

"More like the best in the business…well…you know, as far as Robins go anyway."

"Um…Can I ask what happened to him?" Please don't get mad.

"He left us behind, that's what happened."

Not good. "What do you mean?"

"I guess he thought he was too good for our family, after Batman…Well, that's not important. The point is he left one family for another. Actually, a lot of this could have been avoided if he hadn't left." Uncle Roy told me that people were really mad at my dad for leaving Gotham and keeping me, but I didn't think they'd be this mad. Maybe its best he doesn't know about me.

* * *

Jason was getting soft at his old age, talking to a kid who took up his old mantle, feeling all nostalgic. Usually, he'd just leave the past in the past and leave it at that, but for some reason he felt like talking about old times. It's not that he didn't like the kid, heck he'd probably make a greater Robin than Grayson, but he'd never thought he'd be reminiscing about his days as the worst Robin in history with some kid he'd just met.

Still, he really did grow fond of him, there was something about his optimism and playful smile that reminded him that not every day he spent in that colorful target of a uniform was a bad one. For some reason, he started to go back to the days where he and Nightwing used to be sparring partners instead of rivals. A time where they weren't trying to beat each other into a pulp, a time where he truly thought himself as Dick's brother, a time that he took for granted, a time that he missed most.

The day he found out that Dick had hung up his mask to raise a new family was disheartening, sure they weren't exactly close, but, after losing an arm, an eye and a leg, Jason thought about how much he missed out on just because he was too stubborn to admit he had problems. He thought that maybe he should finally stop focusing so much on his anger and become a real part of the family, to finally make amends with everyone, even if Bruce was already gone, he hoped he could at least start things over with Dick. But, by the time he got back to Gotham, it was too late and the amazing Mr. Perfect did as he always does, he moved on and never looked back. Jason never even got a chance to say goodbye. He could've tried to find him again and say everything he wanted to say, but what was the point? Dick was probably better off without the Boy Wonder screw-up messing up his perfect new family… Sometimes Jason couldn't help but wonder what Grayson was doing now.

Jason's thoughts were interrupted, when Kate walked up to him. She had that stern military officer look in her eye. Jason knew that whatever she wanted was anything but a friendly social call.

She brought him to a private part of the complex and discreetly told him, "We should keep an eye on this new Robin, Jason."

"Why? He's a good kid, a little odd maybe, but he's still a good kid."

"There's something about him, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Don't you think it's a little odd that Arsenal recommends this kid, but doesn't give us any information on him? Why would he want to go to Gotham? And why all these questions about Nightwing? I mean if he wanted to know more about him he could've asked the Titans for his home address or something."

"Roy's a lot of things but he's one of the most reliable people I know, he wouldn't send us this kid without a good reason."

She gave him a stern, warning look and said, "Just be ready for anything."

* * *

I don't think they like me very much, maybe I did something wrong. I'm just lucky my training's over and done with because I don't what I'd do if I had to spend another day in a room filled with soldiers who are all older than me and have nothing but battle stories to share. Soon, I'll be able to go to Gotham; soon, I'll be able to meet the other two.

Commander Kane and Mr. Todd came up and saluted me.

"Job well done, soldier," commended Commander Kane.

"Nice job kid," Mr. Todd whispered into my ear. He's been really nice to me, I feel bad about not telling him who I am, but I don't want him feeling sorry for me just because of my dad.

For the completion of my training, the Colony gave me a new weapon to give me more of an edge in Gotham. At first glance, it looks like a simple metal _bō_ staff, but it has so many interchangeable features: It can split into Eskrima sticks, nunchuks, pair of whips/grapplers, there was even a dart gun and net shooter on one end and a pop-out blade on the other. I call it the Multi because it's so many weapons one little package. Lucky for me the Titans and the Colony trained me in so many weapons, I just hope the others are just as friendly than Mr. Todd.

Commander Kane and Mr. Todd explained my assignment was to infiltrate and befriend: To go undercover as an up and coming vigilante wannabe with considerable talent and attract the attention of one Timothy Jackson Drake AKA one of the people who've started to call themselves Batman…Batman…This all started with him…Every winding, straight and narrow road seems to lead to him. Everyone back home would tell me stories about the Batman, some called him an avenging angel, a guardian who lives in the shadows, others said he was as mad as the criminals he caught and his Robins were almost as ruthless. I always wondered how much of those stories are fact and how much are fiction, after all one way or another it is my heritage, my very strange, very secretive heritage. Part of me is afraid to meet Mr. Drake, but I was really excited to be able to meet someone else who knew my dad before...everything. This is my chance to learn more about dad, I just hope Gotham's ready for me. I just hope I'm ready.

I confirmed with Commander Kane and Mr. Todd that I had thoroughly understood their instructions, they wished me luck and I Boomed straight to Gotham.

* * *

I wasn't sure what to expect when I came to Gotham, the stories said that when my dad still patrolled its streets, it was a den of criminal activity, a veritable underground warzone. It was not a happy place to live, unless you had money and connections, lots of them. I don't know if I'd call what I see a warzone, but it's still just as scary. Every video, every billboard, even the sun and moon seemed to have Brother Eye's glowing red eyeball staring into your very soul. OMAC sentries blocked every corner of the streets, so if you wanted to do anything, you'd have to deal with them first. I felt like I landed in an Orwellian novel and in those stories there were no heroes, only ideals. Ideals of creating a better world only to shatter the foundations of the people who helped create it, ideals of rising above the situation only to fall down, farther than before, ideals that create good people while destroying them on the inside. How do beliefs of a better world destroy good people? Why is it impossible for dreams to become a reality without complete chaos? Why can't kids have their dreams without waking up to a nightmare?

I'm a little scared about being here; Gotham definitely lives up to its scary stories. I'm surprised it's not a ghost town already because the OMAC automatons are roaming around like they're half dead and the ordinary citizens don't look so lively either. It was as if the city itself had no soul. Not a corner was left untouched by the shadows, and whatever light remained only seemed to increase the darkness' depth and bleakness, not the kind of place to live in, if you're afraid of the dark, lucky for me I don't mind a little darkness.

Dad taught me the art of blending into the shadows and disappearing into the thick of the night, the shadows were my playground but they were also my safety zone. When the bad guys prowled the streets at night, I hid into the security of the shadows, bidding my time, the rest was just knowing what they wanted and where they're heading, and though I may not be the detective dad was, I never forgot his lesson about doing my homework before anything else. All I needed was to time it just right and strike like the bird that they believed I was.

It didn't take long for this new Robin to gain quite a reputation, I was only a glimmer of light in this town of darkness, but I shined like a star. Gotham was the perfect battle field for me, pests and gargoyles aside. They say that Batman made allies with the shadows; well I made friends with it. The darkness was my shelter from the storm of corruption that swept this town… and strangely, for the first time in a long time, I almost felt at home here. Summersaulting around the criminals of Gotham wasn't as hard as sneaking past the Titans, but did it ever take me back. I wonder if this was how dad felt his first night flying on the rooftops. Did he ever think back to his Flying Grayson days? Did he ever think about taking me flying with him one day?

Another crime spree was in effect: a robbery at the bank. Easy enough to apprehend, but I needed to be careful: one wrong move and I could end up hurting someone. I waited for them to gather at the center of the room and I shot a net at them with my Multi, trapping them. Normally, this is where the police would show up and arrest them, but instead of a couple of blue suits, I was greeted by robotic white armor. The officers were wearing so much of it; I swear you couldn't tell they were human underneath.

"We'll take it from here," said one of them. Even though they looked human, their voices sounded robotic, cold and unemotional. They are referred to as the _Pax Batmana_ officers, and they work under Mr. Drake himself. It's been said, they were once criminals that voluntarily…reformed with the help of the Brother Eye program.

They gave me the chills, and from the looks of the robbers' faces, I'm not the only person who found them scary because the second my guard was dropped, as I was about to hand them over one of them, one of the robbers bolted, quick as thunder. I could almost hear the terror in his voice when he cried out at their appearance. I chased after him, he had a head start, but there was no way he could outrun a Flying Grayson. He ran into a back alley, I jumped across the fire escapes to follow him as I was about to get the jump on him, when I heard the sound of gunfire. The sound shocked me into nearly letting go of the railing I was hanging from, but it seems that my quarry was in even greater danger than I was because he fell straight to the ground.

I didn't feel anything and I couldn't see any blood, I thought maybe the shooter just missed the mark. I walked up to him, he didn't seem to react to the sound of my footsteps, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I took slow, careful steps, I didn't want him sense me coming, but maybe the shot had done more damage to him than I realized. My slow and careful steps quickly turned into a quick and timely trot. As I got closer, I swore I could feel something salty assault my nose, I recognized that smell, it was scent I hoped I would never have to experience again, the tangy, metallic scent of fresh blood. I was scared, but I kept moving forward, hoping that my hunch was wrong. No such luck. My eyes adjusted to the darkness well enough for me to see it, a large gaping hole in the center of his forehead, blood oozing from all sides.

It's no secret that I was no stranger to blood. Ever since my first blood bath, I always feared having to watch the precious fluid of life drain away into a tiny puddle ebbing at my feet, wasted on a cobblestone street. I backed away from the red liquid, before it could touch me. I'll never understand why people would ever kill each other, aren't they ever afraid to watch someone…anyone die? Sure, the guy was a thief, but he must have had people he cared about or people that cared about him...right? What must they think of all this? Did they even know what this guy did for a living?

As I pondered on what to do about the body, I heard a clicking sound and then a bang… I managed to direct my gauntlet in the general vicinity of the noise before the shooter could pull the trigger, so I only got a scratch, but boy was that ever a close shave.

"Impressive," said a voice in the darkness, "Your reflexes and agility are strong and you managed to track this scumbag all the way here. You're spirited, brave and determined, you almost remind me of someone." I peered through the shadows to see who the mysterious voice belonged to. I managed to glimpse a couple of pointy ears and the glint of a cold steel handgun. "I can tell you've been well trained," the voice continued, "but you look like you still have so much to learn. Have you considered learning new crime fighting techniques?" The Bat stepped out of the shadows removed his cowl to reveal the face of Timothy Jackson Drake. This was my first time seeing him, but I recognized the Batman costume from pictures the Colony showed me, during my briefing.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked. I know I shouldn't trust someone with a reputation his, but part of my assignment was to keep an eye on Mr. Drake, besides he and my dad were close once, he's one of the few people who can tell me what I want to know. And who knows, maybe all those stories about him were exaggerations.

He invited me to his own personal bat cave, except it wasn't cave it was a bell tower, it seemed to be the only beacon of light in this city of darkness, but the light itself appeared eerie, cold and frightfully blinding. Still nothing could compare to the tower's bird's eye view: Everything from the cars to the flashy red Brother Eye monitors looked like tiny dots from up here. I'm a Flying Grayson, so heights don't exactly bother me, but I can't remember a time I've been so high up, I swear the view took my breath away, of course it could also be from the constant stream of air flowing over my face.

But the view was nothing next to the rest of his command center. The giant monitor with Brother Eye's giant red eye staring me right in the face, sometimes I swear it follows me wherever I go. I felt like its giant pupil bore into my very soul, peering into parts of me I'm not even sure I knew I had. It was chilling.

"Welcome to the Belfry 2.0," said Mr. Drake.

"2.0? What happened to the first Belfry?"

I get the feeling that maybe I shouldn't have asked that.

"We were betrayed and it was lost," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't seem to be hearing me. "If only they had listened to me, so much suffering would have been avoided and so many lives wouldn't have been lost."

"You can't control everything Mr. Drake."

He turned to me and eyed me like I was one of the criminals he chases. "How do you know my name?"

I forgot he doesn't know who I am. "You're not the only who does his homework." I remember all the stories dad said about him. Whether it was Tim Drake or Red Robin, dad always told me that he was even smarter than the original Batman and an even better detective, so I have to be more careful not to give myself away.

He leaned in so closely towards me I was afraid he was seeing through my mask. "Why are you doing this?" he asked me, "Don't you have a family, people who care about you?"

Do I have people who care about me? Yes, but I'm too much trouble for them to take care of me. After all, how do you expect to take care of someone when you already have kids of your own and have to save the world every moment of your life?

"I'm just… curious about Gotham… its people and its past." I wasn't lying, I really am curious about this city. I just didn't mention the part where my dad used to fly on the rooftops here.

"You might have been too young to know this, but once upon a time this city was riddled with chaos and crime, no matter what we did it was never enough. When things took a turn for the worst, that's when I learned how naïve I'd been… we've all been. Now, under my supervision, we have all united under one order."

He seems nice, but kind of scary. "But this isn't justice or vengeance it's tyranny."

"You remind of me of myself back when I was young and naïve. Look around you, the crime rate has gone down significantly, since I took the cowl. I didn't want this, I never wanted this, but what choice did I have, everyone's turned their backs on me and there's no else all because Nightwing traded his rightful place as this city's savior for one little kid."

"Kid?"

"Nightwing abandoned Gotham to raise his premature baby. A small and fragile little thing, no one expected him to survive very long in the mean streets of Gotham. I told Nightwing that he would be better off giving the baby up for adoption, he didn't understand how much more this city needed him as Batman than the kid needed him as a father."

I wasn't expecting them to love me or for us to be a family, but I didn't think they'd hate me this much. The Titans told that dad hung up his mask for me, and I always thought that it wasn't such a hard decision to make: between spending late nights constantly getting shot at by bad guys and living at home, watching over a baby, I just thought the easy choice was obvious.

Now, I'm really scared, I'm scared that I might be the cause of this crazy Civil War, scared that I'm not going like what I find out. I feel like that maybe I should just Boom myself back to the Titans and figure something else out, but how can I turn back now? My dad gave up an entire life for me and Mr. Drake was a part of that life, I owe it to him to try and understand him.

Training with Mr. Drake wasn't so much about fighting, it was more about problem solving and detective work, I used to tell dad that I wanted to work with the police just so I could impress Nightwing, when he finally held his end of the deal, and he taught me a few fun tricks just to get me to stop talking like using talcum powder or cocoa to reveal fingerprints. Sure it was all kids' stuff, but I learned enough to impress this Batman. Surprisingly, Mr. Drake still hasn't figured out who I am yet, but maybe I'm getting the wrong impression from him. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

"Remember," he said, "knowledge can be a powerful thing. Observe the details, filter out the facts and, under any circumstances, never let your emotions cloud your judgment."

"But what if you're wrong?"

"You can't be," His tone was so sharp, I swear he was yelling, "deciding with your heart will only lead to chaos, I should know. I mean look at Nightwing, he let his heart decide for him and Gotham was practically falling apart."

I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. It's not my fault I was born.

"So far I'd have to say you've earned those wings… Robin."

Hearing that from him made me feel a little uncomfortable, especially after everything he said about me. I wonder how my dad would feel about me wearing this outfit.

* * *

On the order of the Colony, I was supposed to sabotage Mr. Drake's operation, but my assessment of him was that his security was too tight for me to gain access to any of his personal or important property on my own. They instructed me to continue doing recon of the city, assessing all the credible threats.

I was worried because I was pretty much left on my own, both by the Colony and by Mr. Drake. I agreed to train under him, but that didn't make us partners. Besides, there's another guy dressed like a bat that needed investigating.

* * *

Wayne Manor. This is where everything started: The story of the Batman and his Robins. It all started here.

I have to say I was anxious about entering, I heard that, out of all the Robins, he was the fiercest and deadliest of them all. His strikes were precise, surgical and dangerous, and his personality was just as unpleasant.

The manor itself hasn't looked like it had been taken care of in years: the cobwebs had cobwebs, the dust hid the shadows and the front gate looked like it was being torn apart by the ivy clinging to it. Did anyone still live there?

I walked through the gate and up to the door, pressed the doorbell but, instead of the sound of ringing, I fell through a trap door right under the welcome mat.

I landed onto a thick bed of straw. When I picked myself back up, I tried to figure out where I ended up, and I think I fell into some sort of underground cavern. It was too dark to see, but it smelled like a wet barn. I felt something soft and wet press against my face, it was like it was nuzzling me. Suddenly, lights started to flash on and I found myself face to face with a cow.

The last time I was this close to a cow, was at a petting zoo, but the last cow didn't look so defensive. The cow wouldn't stop nuzzling me, trying to push me out of its spot, so I tried to place some distance between us with my hand as I backed away. "Sorry Mr. Cow, I didn't see you there."

Just as I made my way out of the cow's pen, I heard another voice from the shadows. "If you hurt my animals, I'll kill you." I'm not the world's greatest detective, but I had a hunch who that voice belonged to.

"I'm sorry. I was just…looking for Mr. Damian Wayne."

"And who are you?"

"I'm… Robin."

"We'll see about that." From the dark shadows stepped a Batman unlike any I had ever seen, armed to the teeth with spikes and a cowl so sharp looking at it could cut you, he was like a demon in disguise. According to his Colony files, he is the only Robin who was actually the original Batman's son. Now, I've never met the Big Bad Bat before in my life, but if his son is half as scary looking as he was, then I was probably better off with Mr. Drake. "So," Mr. Wayne continued as his eyes scanned me, "you're the new Robin everyone's been talking about."

"Um…Yes sir." I always hate it when people look me in the eye, but this guy's gaze seemed so deadly that if I turned away I'd die.

"You're hardly the first one to wear that symbol, and I highly doubt you'll be the last."

"I'm not trying to be something special; I just wanted to meet you."

"And why is that?"

Remember, don't mention dad. "I heard all about the Robins and how great they were and being Batman's actual son you must have a lot of wisdom to share."

I almost thought he was smiling when he replied, "Well, it's nice to see someone recognizing my superior bloodline."

The Titans told me that Mr. Wayne and my dad were really close, but I had a lot of trouble picturing someone so cold making friends with someone as warm as my dad.

"By the way Mr. Wayne, I saw Wayne Manor above ground. It doesn't look like anyone's lived there in a while."

"I have no need for the manor; the Bat cave is my only home."

"What about the other people who used to live here, what about your family?"

"The only family I need are my animals, and this cave has proven to be sufficient for us."

"Maybe I'm wrong, but I heard that a lot of people used to call this place home."

"Yes. I heard you've acquainted yourself with a few of them."

"…Like I said, I have an interest for Bats and Birds, especially Robins."

Mr. Wayne poured himself a cup of tea and coolly sipped it, as he listened. "Then I take it, you must have met the original Robin or does he still go by Nightwing?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Mr. Wayne had no idea that dad had died. Does that mean everyone still think that Nightwing is still alive?

I try not to tell him when I answer, but every fiber of my body wants to scream it to the sky. "Of course, I've met him, he seemed to be doing okay, last time I saw him."

"…And what of his child?"

I'm afraid to tell him the truth: That dad was gone and that I was responsible for what happened to him, that I never knew about the secrets he kept or that the stories he told me were never just stories. "He's…he's in good health."

"I see…Well, it's nice to see that he hasn't wasted his life on that child."

"You think he wasted his life?"

"Nightwing was always such a fool, giving up his role as Gotham's protector to raise a single child. My father had plenty of children under his wing, but never once did compromise who he was for them. Even if Nightwing found that he couldn't raise the child in Gotham, he could have very easily placed him in the care of individuals who could. That child was so weak and frail when it was born; I'm surprised it survived this long."

Dad was never trying to abandon his family: he always said he'd go back to Gotham and introduce me to them. He never meant to do anything wrong, _I_ never meant for this to happen, I never asked dad to do all of this for me.

"Still," Mr. Wayne continued, "his abandonment has proven that I am Batman's one true heir."

"What about the other guy in the bat suit?"

"Drake is a fairly adequate candidate and a fairly adequate Robin... I suppose, but his methods bring shame to the Batman legacy."

"And what about your methods? I heard that you've killed people too, but instead of shooting them in the head, you rip them to pieces." I read enough of the Colony's files to know that Mr. Wayne and Mr. Drake are actually more alike than they are different, but the Titans always told me that they've always tried to kill each other for some reason.

"I may be as much of a killer as he is, but I don't strive to control the thoughts of weak minded men." I couldn't tell whether or not he was sorry for killing all those people. "Weakness is not something that should be controlled."

"Did you always believe that?"

"Not always I was groomed to rid the world of the weak, but Nightwing showed me that kindness and compassion can also be just as good a strength as brute force."

Hearing him say that about dad made me feel strangely hopeful, I'm not sure I have the answer I'm looking for, but this proves everything I ever believed about Nightwing. "It sounds like Nightwing was a good person."

"I've certainly never met anyone like him," Mr. Wayne said quietly, probably more to himself than to me, but he broke himself from his reverie. "Now, I've been observing you for quite some time. You have much potential, however you lack the strength and precision to do the job properly."

"And let me guess, you're going to show me how?"

"Well, you've shown that you have a caring heart as well as a resilient will, and the fact that you refused to partner with Drake has demonstrated that you're quite intelligent. Also, my animals seem to like you, and I trust their instincts."

Mr. Wayne's training was probably the hardest I've gone through. He had me do things like learning to escape a straitjacket, chains and the stocks, while hanging upside down in a water tank. Sometimes it was so hard, I almost thought he was going to let me die, if I didn't do it right. I'm not even sure why I agreed to go through this training, but how could I stop now?

I guess I did okay because Mr. Wayne told me that I advanced faster than any student he's ever trained, and this guy trained deadly assassins at the age of ten, so I guess I must be a pretty decent Robin...unless he was just saying that to be nice.

* * *

I was finally done with Mr. Wayne's training, but I never want to go through that again. Right now all I want is to take a nice, long break.

I wasn't sure where I was heading anymore, but I had a lot to think about. I made my way to a street called Park Row, there were decaying roses the piled high in the center of an alleyway. As I stare at the dead flowers, I can't help but think about you dad, about everything you gave up just for me, about everything you've kept from me. Did you keep this because you knew they hated me? Did you think I wasn't cut out to be a Robin? Do they hate you because you wanted to keep me? What did you…what did I do that was so wrong?

Why do grown-ups always think that fighting is the answer? Why aren't they sorry when they do something wrong? Why do your brothers hate me so much? Were you sorry when you kept your secret from me? Or was I just too young to understand?

I feel like I'm trapped. Trapped in this cursed Neverland. Trapped in the wish of a little boy, along with all of his lost children. Except, unlike them, I wasn't brought here by a great hero or came here because of all the Captain Hooks in the world, I am not one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys, I am not a hero, I am not a villain, an avenging knight, a dreamer, I'm not even sure I'm the heir to a great legacy…I just want to know about the things you would never tell me, to know about the life you gave away because of me. I'm not a Lost Boy, I'm just lost.

I thought that by coming here, I would feel a little closer to you, that this strange void I felt myself falling into since you left wouldn't feel like such a long drop. But as the shadows of Park Row creep closer towards me, I could feel myself falling deeper and deeper, and as the darkness settled, in so did the loneliness.

I just wanted to curl up inside this little cocoon of shadows I had made for myself because there is nothing left for me in the light, not anymore. How can I go back to the Titans, when they have an entire world to save and I… I can't even answer my own questions? I miss having your hand to hold whenever I was nervous or scared, I miss the feeling of your arms around me whenever I cried, I miss the sound of your voice whenever you would sing me to sleep, I miss being able to fly with you.

I want to go home…but I don't have a home anymore…I don't have anything anymore. I have nothing but the tears on my face and a broken heart.

I'm scared…I want to go home, dad.

* * *

I could hear more cries all across Park Row. Probably, the same cries I've made: cries of fear and loneliness, but different. I didn't grow up in this broken Neverland, where the Peter Pans shatter everything they touch. I'm not here for the same reasons they are: these children cry because they know that their world is standing on a fragile balance and they're anxiously waiting for the scales to tip, since children don't know how to take care of themselves. Me, I spent my entire life never knowing how delicate my life really was, until it fell apart right before my eyes.

These children need to know what it feels like to be safe. They need a tiny glimmer light in the Bat-family's sea of darkness. I may not be something special, but for now, I will be the tiny beacon of hope in this dark world. I will be Robin.

I'm scared dad, but I'll do my best. I promise…

* * *

 **A/N: What do you think happens next?**


	6. Rise of the Blackbird

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. As always, feel free to review or offer suggestions.**

* * *

Did you know that Peter Pan had a little bother?

One day, he made a wish to be able to live with his mother again. As flew to her window, he saw something that made him feel betrayed: his mother was holding another baby in her arms. After seeing that his mother had abandoned him, _"The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up"_ barred the window and ran away to where the fairies play, to Neverland.

I always wondered if the baby knew he had a big brother. Did he try to unlock the window and go find his brother? Would Peter Pan welcome him with open arms, if he did? What if the little brother got home sick and wanted to go back to his parents? What would Peter think of him then? Did Pan think that being an older brother meant that he was growing-up?

As I repeat these questions in my mind, I can't help but wonder who barred the window on who when my dad decided to keep me, him or his brothers?

I never knew my mother, and honestly I never bothered asking. Even if she was still alive, what was stopping her from coming to see me? I doubt it was my dad, he said if she ever wanted to be a part of my life, we would talk about it together. Peter Pan left for Neverland because he felt abandoned by his mother, but I can't feel betrayed by someone I've never even met. And honestly, having a father was always enough for me…It was always enough.

Peter Pan left for Neverland because he thought his family wronged him, but I'm in Gotham city and everyone seems to think that I wronged them, that this Civil War started because I was born…that all of this could have been avoided if my dad hadn't decided to keep me…I'm sorry…

That's why I'm trying to be the Robin Hood of this scary Neverland. I'm trying to make up for what I did wrong, but it's hard.

* * *

The stories say that Nightwing would light up a room with his incurable optimism and everlasting courage. I don't exactly have his courage and I think I may have forgotten how to smile, I guess I can't light up a room the way he did, I tried to I really did, but I'm not my dad. I feel like the harder I try to be the Robin everyone expects me to be, I just end up letting people down. To be a beacon of hope means to be able to smile, when things reach their lowest point, to be able to promise that everything will be all right and keeping that promise, and to be able to stay strong until the very end. I can't do any of those things, it's just too much: I can't smile when I'm not in the mood, I can't make promises I'm not sure I can keep, and I'm nowhere near as strong as dad was, even when he was Robin. Being a Robin is hard, dad…really hard.

So far, all I've managed to do was take the children of rebels and victims and place them into a safe place, and I can't even reassure them that this war will end because I'm the reason this all started. Because I was born weak, because dad chose to keep me, because I am the son of the greatest hero in history…because I made my dad give up his life.

It's been a little over a year, and I still feel as lost as the day the day I first came to Gotham. I want to believe you kept this all from me because you were trying to protect me, and I can understand how your secret would keep me safe. But who were you trying to protect me from: the bad guys or your own family? I can't help but wonder if things had turned out differently, would they have been my family? Would they treat me differently, if they knew who I truly am? I want to know, but I'm scared, I don't know what's going to happen, if the truth comes out. Everyone seems to think you're still alive, and I'm not sure what to say about that.

I don't know what to do, dad…Growing up, I always thought I wanted to be just like Nightwing, and then I found out he was you this whole time. What happened hasn't changed how much I look up to you, but it's changed how I look at you and how much I know I'm not you, even though that's still who I want to be.

I know, I sound confusing.

I remember all those Nightwing stories everyone would tell me, everyone would always say that he inspired confidence, even though he had no superpowers or fancy gadgets. His presence alone just makes you want to take his hand and fly with him. As a Grayson, a love of flying seems to run in the family: to my dad it was about the feeling of moving forward and the thrill of reaching the next bar, for me it was about the feeling only children feel when they soar above the ground, the feeling of being bound to nothing, the feeling of freedom. I am not my father, that much I know, but does that still make me my father's son?

My family wasn't broken, and I'm not even sure I can call what happened to me betrayal. Is this what it's like to think like a grown-up? Because this is making my head spin.

"Round and round she goes, where it stops? Nobody knows." I could hear a cheerful voice from the shadows calling to me.

I could hear the creak and squeak of an old, wooden spinning wheel. I watched as the straw colored threads began to form around the bobbin, it started glitter like gold.

"Hello Rumpelstiltskin," I said as I approached the shadowy spinning wheel.

"Hello Peter Pan."

Ever since I could remember, I've been able to see things that weren't there like Rumpelstiltskin. And no, I'm not a metahuman or some alien hybrid, or even a homo magi: believe me I've been tested for these things more times than I can count. Aunt Donna explained that all children are born with a natural sensitivity to magic that usually dissipates with time; I was just more sensitive than most children. Before anyone even realized what I had, dad trained me to make the most of my senses, so while the natural sensitivity of normal children usually fades away with age, mine remained as strong as ever. Either that or my imagination is so active, it has a mind of its own. Most people call what I see fairies or spirits, but I like to call them stories. Rumpelstiltskin was one of those stories with no real ending; he was always changing the way he looked: One minute he could look like a playful elf-like creature with rosy cheeks and bright eyes, the next he becomes ferocious looking goblin with skin greener than the wildest of forests with the look of a starved madman practically plastered to his face. Sometimes the changes occur at random, other times it was because of the type of wish he was summoned to grant.

"Why do you always call me Peter Pan?" I asked him.

"Because you are a fairy among humans and a human among fairies," he answered gleefully.

"Was my mother a fairy?"

"Do you want to know?" He asked me with a voice that was both inviting and frightening.

Children are often taught to not talk to strangers, but this stranger was my mother. Would I be wrong to ask? Besides, my dad was a superhero, what are the chances my mom would be any less normal?

I know enough not to make a deal with him, but when I get a question in my head, I can't exactly just let it go.

Stories like Rumpelstiltskin have a way of being fair and unfair: he can grant any wish, but his magic can only work if something of equal value is offered in exchange. Like when he spun the straw into gold for the miller's daughter, he needed to use the gold in her jewelry, but values can change over time and with it the price of the magic. If I were to ask him to take me to my mother, my price would be to forget about my father.

"Do you always have to do that?" I asked. It's not unheard of for someone like Rumpelstiltskin to make deals every second of every day, but being asked the same thing over and over again is starting to get on my nerves.

"I simply give people what they desire, at a fair price. I needed the gold from the young maiden to spin the straw. Is that not a fair trade?"

"And the queen's first born child?"

"Contract magic," he replied, cheerfully yet voraciously, "only once both sides of the contract have been fulfilled, will the magic become permanent. After the maiden refused to give me her child, the gold I spun from the agreement returned to straw." Just then the spinning wheel started spinning on its own, as if it was responding to Rumpelstiltskin's words. "Oh, the poor queen," he added with a voice that was both morose and joyous, "the king was very displeased with her, they say everyone in the castle went mad after what happened."

"You still tried to take an innocent baby from its mother."

"I would have done that child a favor. Don't you think that child would have been happier living with me than with a greedy king, who only married the woman for her ability to spin straw into gold? Which, need I point out, wasn't even her ability."

"What about the miller's daughter? Wasn't she suffering from a loveless marriage?"

"She may have been young, but she was hardly a child: She could have easily refused to marry the king, she could have run away to start a new life or called her father's bluff, instead she chose to encourage her father's boast."

"What would you have done with the baby if you had kept it?"

"What do you do with all the children you keep, Peter Pan?"

"To be fair, I didn't ask to take the children; they all came to me."

With the Bat Civil War going on topside, the families of rebels and victims needed a safe place if only for the sake of their children. That's why they came to me, to give their children shelter from their war. So I made them a deal: I give their children protection, and they help build me a shelter. I know it's a lot to ask, but it's not like I can create a sanctuary and protect the children all by myself.

Years ago, Gotham was hit by an earthquake, the damage was extensive. Most of the city was rebuilt, with generous donations from the Wayne Foundation of course, but some places were damaged beyond repair. They built the new Gotham right on top of the remains of the quake damaged city, and, though that part of the city was lost to time, it was still in surprisingly good condition. It was a pretty good hiding place too, that place has been long forgotten anyone who would even think to look in such a damaged place would have to be crazy.

There were all sorts of people that helped with the construction: scientists, architects even a few escaped convicts were willing to lend a hand… Oh, what a parent wouldn't do for their child?

Once it was finished, I became the protector of all sorts of children, from prodigies to metas to the young, average and misguided souls. These kids were left in my care, while their parents fought this cold, senseless war. This place became a sanctuary for those who didn't want to be remembered, a small slice of Neverland I like to call the Forgotten Zone.

Rumpelstiltskin was grinning at my situation. "I would have thought Peter Pan would be more joyous about his collection of Lost Boys."

"I'm not Peter Pan," I replied, trying not to sound annoyed. I know I can be easily annoyed, but I also know what I'm not.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at me from top to bottom. "Perhaps not," he mused, "you seem to peel away from the excitement and pleasure Pan thrives on, you lock yourself away into a tiny, dark corner of yourself, all tucked away and secure. Perhaps you are Peter Pan's shadow. It does have a nasty habit of running off on its own, and getting stuck in the strangest of places."

"Did you just come all this way just to tell me what I am and what I'm not?"

"Of course not," the imp replied sweetly yet deviously, "I am here to see if you have a wish for me."

"Does that mean you're my fairy godfather?"

"I'm everyone's fairy godfather, child."

Despite what the fairy tales say, a wish granted by a fairy is a dangerous thing, they have a way of giving you what you want without giving you what you want. Lucky for me, I'm never sure of what I want, so I can answer him honestly without going through more idle chatter.

"Sorry Rumpelstiltskin, but I don't have any wishes." I tried to be as blunt as possible in my response.

Needless to say, the mad fairy didn't seem too pleased with my answer, but it was the truth. He courteously bid me adieu and vanished in a puff of smoke along with his infamous spinning wheel, but I know this won't be the last I see of him.

* * *

I still can't believe how much faith the grown-ups are putting in me. I mean do they seriously think I can protect anyone, when I can barely handle myself? I decided to walk down Park Row again, hoping for some sort of sign to help me like last time.

Every time I walk across the alley at Park Row, a pile of decaying roses always seems to be at my feet. How strange that they haven't been blown away by the wind or washed away by the rain, then again normal doesn't exactly exist in this town. Creepiness aside, this is a surprisingly good place to clear my mind: A little dark, quiet corner, completely untouched for who knows how long. It felt nice to have a little moment all to myself, a chance to shut down and breathe, I can't remember the last time I had one. Sadly, my quiet little moment was interrupted by the distant sound of chirping.

I looked up to where the sound was coming from, and I saw a bird's nest perched on the rooftop. When it comes to ornithology, I'm an amateur at best, but, after everything I've been through, I recognize Robin chicks by now. There were about four of them and they were all chirping like crazy, with their beaks outstretched and open, that's when I realized, the birds weren't just chirping, they were starving.

There was no sign of the parents and it's not like I carry any worms on hand. I'm not sure if I should take the nest with me, I mean, what if the parents decide to make an appearance… Before I could decide, a bat swooped down and snatched the nest from right under my nose. The bats in Gotham don't eat birds, so I'm not worried about the chicks, but I was worried about the little unhatched egg that slipped out of the nest as it was being taken away. I caught it before it fell to the ground, there was something strange about this egg, it had the right shade of Robin's egg blue, but it was covered in little brown specks. I didn't have the chance to figure this out because of the little cracks that started forming and growing on the egg. A pointy, little, yellow beak started to poke out from the shell; I could almost hear the sound of chirping, as it continued to peck its way through the cracks. I watched as the little bird toiled and struggled to emerge from its shell, I felt bad that none of its family was here to witness its birth, it made me wonder if there was anyone who would be happy about a new little life in the world…Like when I was born…My cursed birthday…

When the chick finally emerged, I saw a blind, pink, featherless little creature, shivering in the cold and crying as high as its tiny, little voice would let it. I knew that cry all too well, after all, every child cries for its family, when they're this young. I couldn't very well leave the little thing out on its own, with the nest gone and the parents nowhere to be seen, so I took him back to the Forgotten Zone and did my best to care for it there. After a few short weeks, I could already see the feathers starting to grow, but there was no dusty, black coat or bright, red patch on his stomach, instead his feathers were as black as the night sky. It soon dawned on me that what I had on my hands wasn't a red-breasted robin, but a common blackbird, which was strange, since this particular species of bird aren't native to Gotham or any country surrounding it. Of course, what's considered normal in Gotham city?

I named the little blackbird I found Looker because for some reason I feel like he's looking out for me…just like dad used to.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin was right: I am a lot like Peter Pan, I may not have been betrayed by my mother, but my father did something that I have a hard time forgiving, even if it was to protect me. Having Looker by my side made me realize, when people look inside dark places, they think nightmarish demons will appear and destroy them, but children aren't afraid of their own shadows. Some see their shadows as playmates, a living being that can take on a mind of its own, someone just as playful as you, someone you know you can rely on in this light filled world. Peter Pan's shadow had a life of its own; it would somehow get away from him and end up getting tucked away inside some dark box. I always thought about tucking myself away into a quiet, dark corner just for a moment, so I could get away from the crazy noises and overwhelming feelings, there were only two places where I've ever felt so comfortable: the shadows and my dad's arms.

Like shadows, blackbirds are creatures of the day, and yet they have feathers that seemed to be from night sky itself. Why is that? It's because when they're being hunted down by predators, they hide in the darkness, where it's safe…just like me. Watching this little blackbird grow up made me realize one thing: I'm not a Robin, but Nightwing doesn't exactly suit me either. Dad said that when he was younger than me, he always wanted to be Robin Hood, a great defender of the poor and downtrodden. But I'm not anyone's defender: I'm just a little kid who doesn't even know what it means to grow up. I need a new name, one that doesn't belong to my family, a name that invites mystery and playfulness, a name that stories remember as a danger of a more mischievous nature, like Peter Pan's shadow, like Robin's shadow, like Blackbird…

If I was going to reinvent myself, I was going to need a new costume. Sure, durable, lightweight nanofibers don't just fall from the sky, but there's nothing about these bright colors that says Blackbird either. I don't like throwing something that's still perfectly good away, even if I could put a request in for a new outfit from the Titans, I've just been through too much with this suit to part with it. So, I did the only thing I could think of: I dyed my Robin costume black, it was probably too cheap a trick, but I'm not rich. Then there was the matter of my face. Domino masks do their work surprisingly well, but if I'm supposed to be a shadow, I needed to be completely shrouded in the darkness. Besides, the tradition of black haired Boy Wonders has been done to death. So, I called in a couple favors to help me construct a black mask that covers my entire face, made from similar nanofibers as my suit, complete with micro-filters and protective lenses. And lastly, of course, is my emblem: Now, the giant R on my chest definitely doesn't stand for Blackbird, so I fix that with a little B. It's not exactly my best work, but I've learned to work with what I've got. Maybe I would have been better off with an entirely new outfit, but dad designed this suit just for me, it's one of the few things I have left of him. When I wear this, it feels like he's right by my side…flying with me.

Maybe I'm in over my head, maybe I'm hoping for too much, and maybe, just maybe part of me is hoping doing all this will finally atone for all the wrong I've done. Honestly, I don't know what I'm trying to do: all I know is that Peter Pan's shadow has arrived in Gotham, looking for to make itself whole again…

* * *

 **A/N: What do you think? The main reason I chose Blackbird as his new identity is because the common blackbird is from the same family of the American robin, which happens to be the bird where the design for the Robin suit was based off of, but both species live in completely different parts of the world. So, in a way he is part of the Bat-family, but not actually part of it. Instead of a black sheep, Tommy's a blackbird. There are other reasons too, but that list is too long to mention.**

 **Please tell me what you think.**


	7. The Forgotten Children of Gotham City

**A/N: Here is my latest chapter. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and questions.**

* * *

Even if it was just a fantasy, I always told myself that I would be just like Nightwing when I was all grown up. But now that I know the truth, I realize just how naïve of a dream that was. Too bad that dream hasn't changed.

I used to be just plain, old Thomas John Grayson, your average happy-go-lucky kid who just so happened to hang out with superheroes, I never would have imagined that I'd be the son of the one hero I've always wanted to be. Now, I'm here in Gotham City, a city that became broken because I was born. Dad used to tell me stories about his Flying Grayson days, about that rush he felt while flying in the air, about the hush of the crowd as he performed his death defying feats, about the adrenaline coursing through him at the thought of performing without a safety net. I wonder if he was talking about his time as a trapeze artist… or as something else. I always loved listening to those stories, they were like something out of a fairy tale, but it actually happened… My dad really was Nightwing.

How much of my life feels like a fairy tale now? I've learned that I'm the cursed son of a prince and king, that my birth caused my father's kingdom to break and burn, that my existence caused his brothers to go to war… I'm not a soldier, and yet I chose to fly in middle of a warzone just to find answers, I found answers alright, but I never would have thought they would all lead to me. I didn't want this to happen, I didn't want to start a war, all I wanted was to know more about my hero. My hero, my father: the father who taught me how to fly like a bird, the father who's done nothing but give his life to me since the day I was born…the father who died trying to save his cursed child. I feel like Oedipus Rex, an Oracle predicted that little, baby Oedipus would grow to be his father's downfall, so the baby was left to die outside the walls of his kingdom, only to be found and raised in another. At the end, the prophecy did come true, but poor Oedipus lost a father he never had a chance to know and a mother who killed herself through the grief and confusion. Why do grown up stories have to be so scary and complicated?

Looker was lightly pecking at my face to break me from my thoughts. Sometimes I think he might be part woodpecker because he constantly pecks at me like I'm a piece of wood. I tried to shoo him off of my shoulder, but that bird's pretty slick, even if I manage to get him off my shoulder, he still finds a way to perch himself back on it and bother me again.

"Come on, silly bird," I teased as I tried to shoo him away, "I'm not a tree."

He whistled a teasing tune at me.

"What's wrong with me standing around?" I retorted.

He whistled back.

"I know, but how can I sleep with everything going on? I'm still trying to trying to process the whole 'my dad is Nightwing' dilemma."

This time his whistles were less confrontational.

"I know they offered, but Brother Eye's scanners are calibrated to specifically target people with superpowers. I don't have any, and I can manoeuvre the city a little easier than they can, since I don't have to worry about learning to control what I have."

"Talking to your bird again Blackbird," said a voice from behind me.

"What's wrong with that Jackson?" I answered.

Jackson Hartman was one of the super powered kids living in the Forgotten Zone; he was one of those strong but not necessarily silent types. Physically, he could be a fairy tale prince or a comic cover superhero: tall, blond hair, blue eyes; mentally, he was tough but not necessarily charming. Growing up he wanted to be a prize fighter. He trained long and hard, but a deadly illness took away his chance to enter the ring. It crippled his muscles and weakened his bones, he was devastated but not as devastated as his parents were: the illness was terminal, without a cure Jackson wouldn't last very long. They went to every doctor they could think of, tried every kind of medicine they could get their hands on, with no success. They were about to lose hope until they learned about an experimental super pill called Remedy X, the problem was it wasn't ready for public consumption and Jackson didn't have much time left. So, they did the only thing they could think of: they went to every research facility in Gotham and stole as much Remedy X they could get their hands on.

The medicine didn't cure the disease, it only managed the symptoms, so Jackson would have to take it for the rest of his life, but at least he would live longer. At first, his life progressed almost normally, although Jackson's parents forbade him from fighting, until they could assess how much damage the disease did in spite of the medicine. Then, the Titans of Tomorrow discovered what Jackson's parents did. Needless to say, the matter was not resolved peacefully. Mr. Drake's OMAC drones practically stormed through their home and demanded that the entire family follow them: that was day where Jackson discovered the side effects of Remedy X. When they refused to comply with the drones demands, the response was use of force. The drones blasted the Hartmans to stun them, but when the projectiles hit Jackson and he was perfectly fine, he wasn't even hurt. The drones attacked again, this time using lethal force, but Jackson remained completely unscathed. He barely had time to process all of this when the OMACs started to swarm him, his instincts quickly took over and he used his fight training to subdue them. As he fought, he noticed something about his hits, each time he made contact, he felt like he was hitting with the force of a meteor, especially when he punched a hole clean through the brick wall of his house. Realizing that they were outmatched, the OMACs quickly fled and Jackson felt a strong sense of pride over his victory. But as the adrenaline started to dissipate and the dust started to settle, Jackson soon realized that his parents were nowhere to be seen. No one knows if his parents have been infected by the OMAC program, so Jackson hasn't given up hope that his parents can be saved.

"I told you to call me Remedy," Jackson insisted.

"Why name yourself after the medicine that gave you your powers?" I asked.

"That stuff did a lot for me. When I got sick, I thought I would never be able to enter the ring ever again, but now I stand a fighting chance again, even if the side effects only last for 12 hours, at least I can fight with everything I've got for that time."

"Any word about your parents?" I asked.

"Even with everyone pooling their resources, there's still nothing. But, at least, that means there's a good chance that their okay too."

The Forgotten Zone has all sorts of people, with from all sorts of families, with all sorts of connections, but that doesn't mean we have everything we need. My only job is to keep an eye on the place because some people are worried that Free Gotham won't be safe forever, after all like the rest of the city was exposed to the cold, searing light of Mr. Drake. People used to think that the light was the safest place to be, but I never understood that thinking. When you're in the light, you're completely exposed, all your secrets, all your truths, nothing can ever truly be yours. They tell you that the safest place is in the light, but sometimes the light is the greatest source of pain. In the dark, everything is hidden, even yourself, and when something's hidden you feel like it's safe, you feel like it's yours. They say darkness is something that should be feared, but sometimes it can be your only friend.

"Well, I hope they're okay," I told Jackson.

"So do I," Jackson replied, "I'm going to try to ask Code if he can find anything about them on the Brother Eye data stream."

"Aren't you worried about malware or corruption?"

"Sanjay is the Forgotten Zone's resident tech guy for a reason."

"That still doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful."

"Hey," said an oncoming voice, "I'll have you know that my programs kept everyone here from turning into mindless, blue-skinned Nano-drones."

I saw Sanjay Chaudhary walking in from behind us, his family was from India but he grew up in Gotham. No one could interpret the data stream quite like he could. Before he came to the Forgotten Zone, he was living with a faction of rebels with his dad. Sanjay was their star computer expert, he helped create a program that would shut down Brother Eye permanently, but it was never finished because their base was under attack. They tried to preserve the data as best they could, but, with the ongoing attack, there just wasn't enough time to find a safe server to hide it in. So, they opted for the only option they could think of: downloading a program into a human brain, and Sanjay volunteered. He had to be unconscious for most of download, but he felt reassured with his fellow rebels by his side. As he underwent the procedure, however, he woke up to find everyone, including his own father, had vanished without a trace. Chances are the software in his head must have shielded him from being detected by Brother Eye and his drones, so they didn't even bother with him. He calls himself Code because of his programming abilities and the computer program in his head. Thanks to the program, he has the power to take over and manipulate just about any piece of tech at close range, and hack into any computer using just a touch of a button and his mind. It has also given him the unfortunate side effect silverfish-green lines like a circuit board all over his body, making it impossible for him to blend into a crowd visually, but now with his powers he can hide himself from being detected electronically. Because the program was never finished, Code isn't powerful enough to shut down Brother Eye completely, but he managed to create an artificial aura that protects us from his influence.

"I'm not saying you're not good at what you do Sanjay," I told him, "I'm just worried is all."

"You worry too much Blackbird," Jackson retorted.

I chuckled at his remark. "Looker says that too."

"Can you really understand him?" Sanjay asked.

"Birds develop language almost the same way humans do, they just don't speak the same way we do. I've been with Looker ever since he was a chick; I pretty much taught him how to speak."

I must've said something wrong because Looker started to peck me furiously.

"What did I say?" I asked him.

He chirped in reply.

"Sorry," I told him, "but it's true, isn't it?"

"And I thought my brother and I were supposed to be the aliens of the group."

Lei Lee literally popped out from the shadows and nearly gave me a heart attack.

I took a moment to catch my breath. "Lei Lee," I told her, "you know how much I hate surprises."

It didn't help matters that her skin was such a deep shade of purple that it practically blended in with the shadows. It was the sudden sound of her perky voice that really makes my heart go off.

"Sorry Blackbird," said Lei Lee, "but you really shouldn't be so sensitive."

"I told you not to do so much shadow hopping, sis." In walked Lei Lee's twin brother, Lei Lo, unlike his sister, his skin was as bright as a distant star and he never seemed quite as energetic as Lei Lee.

"But it's a lot more fun than walking," Lei Lee replied to her brother, "not that you would know since you can't shadow hop."

The twins, Lei Lee and Lei Lo, are alien/human hybrids, although you'd have a pretty hard time telling they're twins not because they're fraternal or even the fact that they have very different personalities, it's because their power sets have almost nothing in common. Lei Lee has the power to travel between shadows, while Lei Lo has the ability to create any kind of light, including the different colored lights of the emotional spectrum. They call themselves Light and Shadow, for obvious reasons, they inherited their powers from their alien father, who was killed in their family's attempt to escape to Free Gotham. The Titans of Tomorrow had some concerns that aliens were being illegally smuggled on the Earth, so they tried to capture anyone that was suspected of harbouring them…which led to some unfortunate resistance. From what they've told me, they were too young to remember their dad, but that also meant that he didn't have much of a chance to teach his kids about their powers. Who knows what those twins are really capable of?

I know a thing or two about lost fathers, but I don't really know how to tell anyone about how my dad was Nightwing except I didn't know he was Nightwing, or how he died with his secret, or how I've spent half my life masquerading in his old pixie boots, trying to gather what I can about him. I'm not even sure I understand what I'm doing, but how can I stop now?

"I don't need to shadow hop to mind my own business, Lee," Lei Lo argued.

"At least, I can have some fun with my powers," Lei Lee retorted, "all you can do is make yourself into an even brighter neon sign."

"Some lights are invisible to the human eye, Lee."

"That still doesn't make it sound less fun than shadow hopping."

"Come on you two," I told them, "we're not supposed to be fighting each other here."

Growing up, I've never loved listening to conflict, too loud for my taste. I honestly don't understand why people enjoy arguing so much even when it's supposed to be some sort of joke.

"Come on Bird, lighten up a bit," said Shadow, "it's not like we're going to end up the next Teen Titans or the Justice League."

"You've obviously never met the Titans or the League," I said, "and you're telling _me_ to _lighten_ up, _Shadow_."

"I'm just saying you don't need to be so serious all the time," Lee replied, "it's not like the Tyrant Titans are ever going to find this place."

"Don't underestimate them, Lee, they're dangerous. I've pooled all my resources with the Titans East and the Colony to help us out, but we're mostly on our own out here."

"Relax," said Jackson, "we're in a part of Gotham where even the Bats are afraid to fly, and even if they could infiltrate your connections to get Intel on us, your allies don't even know where we are."

"I'd still be careful: they're more than just powerful. The fairies told me, that Mr. Drake has gone off the radar, and he's a pretty smart guy, he might be hiding among us as we speak."

"Don't you think you're overreacting?" Sanjay asked me.

"Have you ever met a Bat?" I replied.

"No," Sanjay retorted, "but you're relying on information you got from ' _fairies_ '."

"You don't believe I can see them."

"I have a hard time believing they're real."

Sanjay was always a skeptic; then again, I can't exactly show them what I see.

"You got to admit Bird," Jackson added, "not even Homo magi have been able to see them. What makes you so different?"

"I'm not sure, but everything they've told me has panned out so far, if those are coincidences, I must be the luckiest kid in the world."

"Did you ever talk to someone other than your bird?" Jackson asked, obviously still skeptical.

"I told you about what the Titans East said."

"Yeah, but, if what they said was true, why hasn't your sight just vanished like everyone else's?" asked Sanjay, "You said these fairies haven't even begun to dissipate."

"Either way, it's one of the few leads we have on them."

"I still don't see why you won't let us help you more," Lei Lee asked, "we actually have powers. Powers that could be much more useful helping you out in the field instead of cooped up here in the Forgotten Zone."

"You know Brother Eye's trackers are specifically set to those with super powers, you'd be spotted the moment you step outside."

"That's why we have Code's Aura Blockers," argued Lo, "besides I doubt we can trust the Colony for long, they've barely set foot in Gotham. The one time they did come into the city, they caused the war to escalate, and put free Gotham in harm's way, they put our mom in harm's way."

"I'm with my brother on this one," Lee added, "The Forgotten Zone is the only safe place left in Gotham, for kids like us anyway. How long do we have to wait before the Titans of Tomorrow to take us too?"

It's not like I don't understand what they're saying, a safe place can only stay safe for so long, but if I go out and confront them again, if everyone finds out who I am, then things are going to end up worse than they already are. I already caused enough trouble with those Robins; I don't want to make an even bigger fuss. It would be bad enough for the Robins to find out about by my dad, but if the entire Forgotten Zone heard about this, Gotham would burn down faster than the time Mr. Wayne set it on fire with his explosives. If the people of the Forgotten Zone about who I am, they would expect me to lead just like dad, but I'm not him. That much I'm sure of. I've never valiantly led people into battle, people who would give up their lives for a cause, a cause I don't know I believe in: Freedom, freedom from oppression, freedom from tyranny… freedom from fear...freedom from loneliness…freedom from the truth…freedom from lies. I wonder when the last time was I tasted freedom.

As I was pondering all this, I heard shrill ring from my comm.

"This is Blackbird," I answered as I pulled myself away from the others.

"Why did you stop calling yourself Robin?" I heard Arsenal answer on the comm.

"Hi Uncle Roy," I whispered.

"Careful kid," he told me, "you don't want to give any secrets away."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about. How are you?"

I wasn't sure how to respond, I'll be eleven soon and I still don't feel like I've found what I'm looking for. Sometimes, I wonder if I'd be better off just quitting, but I don't know what else I can do. Who am I, if not my father's son?

"Things have been tough all around," I, eventually told him, "but I'm managing."

"You know when your dad was leading us, he never settled for 'just managing'. He would always take charge of the situation."

"That sounds hard."

"I'm sure you're dad thought so too. Are you sure you don't want to come back? I'm sure we can find you a place to stay, better yet you could help Vic with his new Titans East team."

"Aren't you guys helping him with that?"

"We're a little shorthanded, with the war and everything. Plus, your experience in Gotham would be a great asset to the new recruits."

"But what about the Forgotten Zone; I can't just leave it like this."

I could hear Uncle Roy's contemplative breathing on the comm. "Sorry kid wonder, we can't send anyone there, at the moment."

"Well, we can talk about that, when you work something out."

Uncle Roy let out a long deep sigh. "You're just like him, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your dad could be a real jerk sometimes, with all of his secrets, but you would never meet anyone more loyal or more dedicated than him…I really wish he could see you now."

"Do you think he would have been okay with me doing this?"

"Honestly, I don't know kid, I mean he kept the Nightwing secret for a lot of reasons, and training you to follow in his footsteps wasn't one of them. If anything he would have wanted you to have a normal life."

"Is hanging out with superheroes supposed to be normal?"

"Good point."

"Anyway," I continued, "is there any other reason you called?"

"I just got word from Jason, a small group of potential Forgotten kids nearby, something worth checking out. I'll send you the coordinates."

"Thanks, Uncle Roy."

"Don't mention it…" He paused for a while before adding, "And Tommy…be safe."

"I will."

After we said our goodbyes, I went to tell the others where I was heading, most let me off without any trouble, but others weren't quite sold on the idea of me going alone.

"The area is swarming with OMAC droids by this time," Sanjay argued.

"Not to mention you've got two crazy bat people on your tail," Jackson added.

"Mr. Wayne and I have an agreement," I told them, "and I haven't even told him or Mr. Drake about the Forgotten Zone."

"Maybe not," Lei Lo retorted, "but it's only a matter of time before Mr. Wayne goes back on his word or for The Titans of Tomorrow to spot you."

"But," I tried to argue, "If you go with me we increase the chance of getting caught."

"We're willing to take that risk," replied Lei Lee, "Lo is right, you can't do this alone."

"I'm not alone, I have Looker."

"I don't think Looker is going to be that much help against a six foot OMAC," Jackson retorted with little hints of sarcasm.

I could hear Looker's aggravated whistle at that comment, it was high enough to make my ears bleed. Appearances aside, Looker has always been my backup whenever I've had to fight, he's like my shadow, when he's nearby I feel strong and grounded, when he's at a distance I feel like I can fly as high as he can. Don't get the wrong idea, I can handle a fight by myself, but I know when I'm in over my head.

"Come on," encouraged Sanjay, "it's been a while since we all got to leave the Forgotten Zone. The fresh air will do us some good."

"And it's not like you're bringing the entire sector with you," Lei Lee added.

I was worried, not just for them but for me. When my dad was part of a team, he wouldn't hesitate to take the command, even for a second, but when I'm part of a team I'm so nervous I can't even speak. I wouldn't be able to function with a team let alone lead one. I may never be able to prove that I'm my father's son, but that doesn't mean I want to spend my last moments on Earth trying to show that I am nothing like dad. I can't risk them finding out about me, although it looks like I've been outvoted.

"Are you guys sure you want to come?" I asked.

"Are you kidding?" Jackson exclaimed, "I wouldn't miss this for anything."

Of course they couldn't just come in their normal clothes, since they would get shredded in these super fights, so I had some of my old contacts help me find them something more suitable to wear. Jackson was given a tight, green and red jumpsuit with the prescription Rx symbol stamped in white, only instead of an x the last letter looked more like a y. It's made with special Nano-fibers that adapts to the shape of his body because whenever he takes his medicine his muscles start to get bigger and return to their normal size as the effects start to wear off.

Code had silver body suit made from techno-organic fibers that acted like a secondary computer system which he wore like a second skin not to mention it complements his circuit lines. He was also given a Titanium alloy tech disk which he can control with his powers, and since it was calibrated specifically for his brain patterns, he's the only techno path who can use it.

Light and Shadow were given suits with light bending properties to camouflage them whenever their powers are in effect. Light's dims his natural glow, but refracts any other light he produces, while Shadow's helps conceal her better, whenever she's in the darkness. The material was left behind by their father; apparently, this kind of fabric is common where he's from.

Once we were out on the streets, we decided to split up and form a search grid. The coordinates Uncle Roy gave was just for the general area, the rest was just guesswork. I stayed hidden in the corners, when you're perched on a rooftop, you can't see the little things like the people wandering about. I mean I love heights as much as the next Grayson, but there are limits.

I heard something coming from a far-off alley: lots of kicking, screaming and pulsating energy, the commotion was so loud I could have probably heard it from the highest rooftop in the entire city. I went to check where the noises were coming from and saw a group of OMACs attempting to apprehend a group of kids who didn't look much older than me: two girls and one boy. The boy looked like an African-American, he wasn't exactly muscular or even much of a talker next to his partners anyways, but he was a quick dodge, it was almost as if he was predicting their movements, like Aunt Lilith would. He wore a mask that only covered his mouth and he was dressed like an old time fighter pilot: brown leather jacket and a scarf that simply danced with the wind. As I watched fight, I thought I saw the OMACs closest to him shrink back, like they were in pain. Whenever I got closer to him, I could feel bits and pieces of my memory suddenly rushing past my mind, painful memories, sad memories, memories someone would rather forget, the closer I got the worse the memories became. Then, the memories started to change into something else, it felt like a memory, but nothing I saw actually happened, it was like I was gazing into my own future. The visions felt incomplete, but they were downright disturbing. If it weren't for the inhibitors in my mask, I don't know what would have happened. One of the girls had red pigtails like the ones my cousin Irey used to wear; it also looked like she was wearing a colorful version of her special speedster clothes. Now, she was much more than a quick dodge, she was probably almost as fast as Uncle Wally: she zigzagged her way past the frontlines like it was nothing more than a casual walk in the park. Her mouth was just as quick as her feet: she threw insults that I don't even want to repeat, although I'm not sure if her accent was Irish or Australian. Then, I saw her do something that I never saw any speedster do: Speed Force energy started to gather and encircle around her like some sort of tornado or vortex, forming a protective barrier. As the energy accumulated, it began the barrier burst, leaving behind a trail of unstable energy that overloaded the OMACs. The last girl was a blond, wearing a purple ombre jean jacket and pants, along with a large purple infinity scarf around her neck. Her clothes were worn and torn up, but I guess that would be normal if she had been fighting OMACs long enough. Something strange happened as the drones approached her, she seemed to be reaching for something inside her scarf, her eyes began to glow white hot and she was surrounded by a strange aura, an aura of magic, I could hear the Fae story folk nearby whispering about how lovely her aura was, and a pretty aura to a fairy is a powerful one to a human. She used all sorts of spells to take down the drones: energy manipulation, telekinesis, levitation, but she looked like she was having a hard time getting the magic to do what she wanted because it took a while for her spells to take effect. They were a small group, but they took on an army of OMACs like they were toy soldiers. I called for the others, but they were pretty far away, I didn't know if they would make it on time, so I jumped in.

The others were pretty surprised by my appearance, but they could hardly complain, I was helping them after all. The OMACs came towards us hard and strong, but what made them strong also made them weak: Brother Eye's gaze was dangerous, but with Mr. Drake missing it had become clouded, without a handler the machine had no orders, no focus, and no purpose. Brother Eye may be powerful, but he was created for one reason and one reason alone: to rid the world of crime and bring peace, the problem was that he depended on people like Mr. Drake to keep his vision alive. One EMP disruption from my Multi was all it took to disorient the drones long enough for us to take them down, we couldn't free them from the satellite's control, but at least we won...for now. When all was said and done and the OMACs retreated, we had officially made introductions, although I didn't seem to need one.

"So, you're the great Blackbird everyone's been whispering about," said the red headed girl.

"You've heard about me?" I asked.

"There are people who haven't?" retorted the blond.

"I didn't realize I was famous."

"You're kidding," cried the red head, "who hasn't heard about the long forgotten son of _the_ Batman, freeing Gotham's children from the tyranny of the Bats?"

I can't believe what I had just heard; they think I'm Batman's son! "Where did you hear about that?"

"Everyone's talking about it," the African-American boy spoke at last.

"It's nice to hear your voice again Sonny," the red head said enthusiastically, "things were starting to get boring without your witty rhetoric." She sounded as energetic as Uncle Wally and Cousin Jai and Irey and after all that running she didn't even look tired, she was definitely a speedster, but I never saw one make Speed Force barriers like that before. Just what kind of speedster was she?

"I can't help it, if I'm cursed Sheila," the boy named Sonny replied. He turned to the blond girl. "Don't you have a spell you can use Amanda?"

The blond girl replied, sounding mighty annoyed, "I told you I'm only just learning how this amulet even works." She reached into her scarf and pulled out an ancient looking amulet. It was a simple little pendant: silver plated with an amethyst center stone. There was a strange inscription on the silver surrounding the center stone, but it wasn't in any language I could recognize. I could see the aura surrounding it drawing in fairies like moths to a flame. It didn't look like it was made by the Fae story folk, but it was obviously powerful enough to draw them in.

They all started arguing about who knows what; I had so much trouble keeping up with what they were saying that I stopped talking altogether, until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I jumped up at the touch.

"Get used to it already Bird," I heard Lei Lee say from behind me, with her were the others nodding in agreement.

"I doubt I'll ever get used to it. How far away were you anyway? I called hours ago."

"Sorry. But I can only shadow leap so far and I can't exactly bring other people with me into the shadows."

"So, who are your friends?" Lei Lo asked.

The red head zipped towards us first and extended her hand. "Sheila Wilde," she said enthusiastically, "but everyone calls me Vortex."

The blond came up after. "Amanda Brightman, but you can call me Amulet if it's easier."

The African-American stepped in so quietly, you didn't even notice he was there. "Sonny Lyman: Seer."

The others introduced themselves and quickly became fast friends, while Looker and I were listening to the roar of their voices.

I waited for them to finish before I spoke. "Now that we're all acquainted, would you mind telling us what you were doing clashing with an army of OMACs?"

"We were tracking down that tyrant, Tim Drake," Sheila answered.

"You haven't seen him," asked Sanjay.

"No," Sonny replied, "we've been hunting him down for a while but it's like he vanished into thin air. I heard even the Colony has trouble pinning him down."

"Titans East aren't having any luck either," I added.

Amanda came towards me. " _You_ know the Titans East."

"Of course he does," Sheila retorted, "one of Batman's children would have all sorts of connections."

I really wished they wouldn't call me that; dad might have been Batman when I was born, but, from what I heard, his time wearing the cowl was really short…unless they think I'm Bruce Wayne's son. How did people come to that conclusion?

"Any idea what happened to him?" I asked.

Amanda stepped forward. "We've been spying the Titans of Tomorrow's movements for months, before and after Drake left them. They were planning to bring him back into the game, when he mysteriously disappeared, no one's heard from him since."

"What about his creepy satellite?" Jackson asked.

"Brother Eye can run independently in almost any system, including the one in Drake's suit, it wouldn't need to know his location," Sanjay commented.

"Maybe he used a Boom tube. Were there any energy signatures at his last known location?" Lei Lo asked.

"Some sort of strange chronic energy residue was found," Sheila answered, "but we can't identify it or figure out which time zone it leads to."

"Maybe we can compare notes back at the Forgotten Zone," suggested Lei Lee.

"We're not hiding from those crazy Bat people," Amanda said, passionately.

"You can't hide from someone who's gone missing," I told her, "besides your chances might be better if we all worked together. You're not the only ones who've gone after the Titans of Tomorrow."

"I got to say Amulet," said Sheila, "they do have a point. And those Bat people are crazy dangerous; we could use the extra help."

"I'm with Vortex one this," Sonny added.

Amanda took a deep breath. "Looks like I'm outvoted, but we're not going to be the next Teen Titans, are we?"

"No way," Lei Lee replied, "we're a much better group then the Titans will ever be. The best teams are the ones you don't know exist, and everyone knows about the Titans. We'll be like a shot in the dark, heard of but unseen."

"We won't be remembered," Lei Lo added.

"We'll be the Forgotten."

* * *

 **A/N: What are your thoughts about the Forgotten? I wanted to give Blackbird a team of his own, something that makes him feel like he's following his father's footsteps, but stresses his concern about how he's supposed to compare to a leader like Nightwing. I apologize, if the characters I created for the Forgotten seem unnatural or awkward, but this series takes place in the future, and the Legion of Superheroes is from a far more distant timeline. Let me know what you think.**

 **Possible Spoiler: In the next chapter, I'm thinking about having the Forgotten time travel into the current DC timeline, where they might clash with members of the Justice League, among other possible heroes. You'll get the chance to learn more about their powers and abilities as they scour the past for answers.**


End file.
